Of The Sand and The Sea
by Water Solace
Summary: Friendship can span countries, continents, and even worlds. It can touch just once and last for life. It was something one boy yearned for more than anything. But he was always left alone. That is, until the blue waters from the horizon reached out to him.
1. Sand

_The waves of the sea crashed against the sandy banks, taking some of the sand with it but also leaving some of its waters back on the shore._

+++Part 1+++

Sand

Laughter could be heard coming from the hill. "I'm gonna get you," giggled the little 5-year-old girl.

Pounce, chase, wait, pounce again, chase.

Farther and farther from her little house she chased the blue butterfly.

She came to the top of the hill she was running up while pursuing the butterfly and abruptly stopped. She gazed at all the fields and the beautiful forest that lie beyond them with wonder... as if she were gazing at it for the first time, though she had been outside just the day before.

But today was a new day.

She turned her head to look over her shoulder and back down the hill. There her family's one-storied house stood at the edge of their large farmland. She turned forward again before continuing to chase her little friend. Her family may not have been rich in money but they were very rich in land. To her, that was better than being rich in money.

It had taken her five minutes of running to get to the forest where she continued to lope after her newfound buddy. She could hear a cow bellow off in the other field, probably announcing to the herd that it spotted fresh greens.

Being so deathly shy of people, she mostly found herself in the company of certain animals. She didn't have to worry about not having enough creatures around because there was an abundance of them on the farm. They included the cows, the chickens, the barn pigeons, and the farm cats. She needn't have to worry about talking to them or worry about them calling her names. She would usually just want to chase them or play games. She might occasionally talk to them. Although it would usually be random words she shouted out to get their attention... or to scare them. She would very seldom try to have a conversation with any of them. That was generally saved for her immediate family, whom she was not timorous around.

This girl was the weird kind that was happy and bouncy to those who got close enough to be trusted and mute to those who weren't. So, you see, she could never make any friends out of most people. Even when she tried to she just couldn't speak loud enough and she would start stuttering; anxious... for a reason she could not understand. She never had a genuine not-related friend...that was of...the human sort.

"Nah, hey," she yells before stumbling over a root. "Ah-Huh? Uh..."

She studied her surroundings a little before standing back up. This was a part of the woods she did not know. Good- she liked exploring and it gets boring going through the same trails again and again. She took a few steps, looking around at the spring flowers and buds still growing. Some from trees whose branches where still fairly bare from winter. Rounding the corner of an unmarked path she noticed something. Through the trees she saw a rundown house that looked at least three stories high and somewhat... eerie.

Of course, being her adventurous self, she had to go investigate. Almost totally forgetting about the butterfly, she climbed the porch steps and slowly walked towards the door. It creaked open as she walked in. Every step caused the floorboards to groan. It didn't look as bad as she thought it would have. Still it was exceedingly dusty and some of the wallpaper was torn. But other than that everything looked...okay. She also didn't think it would have any furniture but it did, though old and mostly broken. The room where she stood had a white couch yellowed with age and covered in dust with a large dull red rug in front of it. It also had a bookcase loaded with all different kinds of books. The wallpaper was a white color with little flower bud designs at the top. To the right of the couch she noticed a doorway.

Curiosity got the better of her and she went deeper into the house. She went climbing up stairs, opening every door, and looking into each room. One door held a closet with a bunch of fur coats, shawls, and dresses, but she wasn't interested in that and carefully closed the door. She repeated the process until she came to a room with nothing placed in it but a large window and an antique dresser. It was a medium sized wooden dresser made with elegant wood that gave a dull glow in the evening sun. Dust and scratches hindered its prettiness. Disappointment flickered in her eyes when she opened the drawers to find them empty. Said drawers were quickly forgotten when girl saw something carved onto the wall behind it. She wanted to see it clearly. So she leaned on the side of the dresser and pushed. Her little legs strained and her feet slid across the floor.

_Finally_, she thought.

Slowly it moved across the old floor until the figure behind it was fully revealed. The girl stood in front of the strange carving. The wooden wall was barren except for that. It looked like... kind of like an hourglass with the top floating above it. She traced her fingers nimbly across the big symbol as if she'd break it but pulled her hand back when it started to glow orange-ish. Freaked out, she stumbled back. What the dickens was **that**? I mean, that doesn't happen with walls, right? Fascinated, she reached out again, tracing her fingers over the wall. The glow followed her fingers as they glided over the wood. She nearly cried out when the entire carving erupted with the light.

_Wow, _was all she could think. _I must...touch...pretty light._

She felt herself being pulled. She didn't have a chance to shout before she was dragged into the wall by a nameless force.

* * *

><p>Flying...she felt like she was flying as she fell through an unknown space with multi-colored streaks of light passing by her. Or was she passing by them? She started to speed up as she saw a white light at the end of the current.<p>

"Ouch," she yelped. Looking back behind her she saw a cactus with the same glowing orange vein of light that disappeared within seconds. "What's going on... the...?" she whispers to herself as she finds sand instead of dirt and grass beneath her.

Standing up she takes the chance to look around. Sand...everywhere there was sand! She stood there. Just stood there. Her breaths started coming quicker and shallower. Her eyes widened. The girl panicked not knowing where she was and ran, just ran. She ran until she came to the top of a sand dune. Her green and brown hazel eyes shook from side to side with fear as they scanned the horizon. She let out a breath of relief when she saw what looked like some sort of a town or city in the distance. She cast a glance back at the lone cactus that supposedly brought her here once more before heading down the hill towards the town. Running as fast as her little legs could carry her she got closer and closer. One of her hands clutched at her aching side and the other at her pounding heart. But she kept going until she was finally near. What? A...wall? A rocky canyon wall? Confusion raced threw her. She thought... a town. She thought she saw a town. She looked back at the large hill she ran down from. Was she seeing things? Is there nothing here? She couldn't have just been seeing things. She looked up the massive wall. Suddenly her eyes widened. She heard a shout! Someone, a person, shouted! There had to be something over this wall! Where there were people there were usually phones! She could call home!

Yes, E.T. phone home!

She stepped back, inspecting the top of the cliff. She went back up to the wall placing her hand up on it as far as she could reach. A hopeless look crossed her features. There was no way she'd be able to climb it. 

_Why does it have to be surrounded by a wall?_ She whimpered in her head.

But then something hit her. It was a rock pebble...but then an actual idea hit her. A smile broke out across her face. If she couldn't get over the wall then maybe she could get under it! She let her hopes soar as she walked to the right of the wall trying to find some way in. She soon stopped, her hope once again diminishing. She turned around walking back to where she first touched the wall. She walked a little further left, dully inspecting the rock. Nothing.

Wait stop. What was that?

Her anticipation shot up like a bottle rocket when she saw the crevice. She ran to it before sliding down on both knees to get a better look at it. Most of it was covered by sand but it looked like it was big enough for her to fit through! But it got dark in there so she couldn't see the end. She hoped it was just a thick wall and not a dead end. Her little hands got to work digging away the sand. When she found the opening to be wide enough she slipped through on all fours. She got deeper and began to get very nervous when she noticed the little tunnel getting narrower. She lowered her head a little more. That's when she started thinking about the possibility of scorpions. Now she was starting to really panic. She didn't like scorpions and her ma told her they were poisonous!

She started scooting along even faster, her breaths getting thin and uneven. It got tighter but she managed to get through. She weaved her way around rocks that stuck out in the path until it started getting straight again. It was so dark in here. She gasped in gladness when she saw light, the end of the tunnel. She hurried along scooting on her hands and knees. The tunnel got wider, easing her nerves. She pulled herself through but when she came to a sudden stop horror danced in her eyes. It wasn't big enough; she could only fit her upper half threw it. Her butt was stuck! She tried it twice but couldn't get through. She didn't have enough room to fully turn around! Could she back out of here? Was if she couldn't? 

_Wait,_ she told herself, _I'll just dig like I did before! __**Brilliant!**_

She frantically clawed at the sand with one hand while the other supported her up. She tried to squeeze threw again. _Not big enough-oh, please, please_, her thoughts raced as she continued to move the sand until, finally, she got the hole big enough for her to easily slip out of.

Wheezing for air she entered the town looking every which way. This town's buildings weren't made out of regular material. It was weird; it was like they were made out of sand or clay or... something. She stopped in the middle of the street for a break, still trying to regain her lost breath. She was breathing pretty hard from that nervous breakdown she almost had back there. It was really hot too. It looked like it was around evening here as well; she saw the sun going down. She walked over to the side of the street as her breathing began to return to normal. She turned her head to the man standing next to her trying to muster up the courage to ask him where she was.

She took a deep breath and swallowed, "Um, e-excuse me... s-s-sir?" The man paid no heed, he didn't hear her tiny whisper so she tried again, "E-excuse me s-sir?"

The man looked down, "Hm? What do you want?"

The little brunette flinched as she tried to speak again, "C-can you tell me where I a-am?"

"Tch. You're in Suna, girl." The man scoffed.

She looked up, "Su-na?"

"Yeah Suna. Y'know, the Village Hidden in the Sand? In Wind Country?" The man glared down at her like he was a big dog and she was the annoying little kitten that bumped into his leg. The girl nodded and walked away not wanting to anger the man more than she already had. Jeez, by just asking him a question?

"The people around hear aren't very nice..." She whispered to herself still shaken from that human contact. _What a butt-monkey, _went one of her thoughts.

Suna, the Village Hidden in the Sand? She expected an answer like Arizona, Utah, or even the Sahara Desert! Not Suna! Where exactly had that thing taken her? She brushed her chocolate locks behind her ear. 

_Okay, just look around...maybe...I don't know._ She sighed. _Aah! My feet!_

She looked down at her little brown shoes. They were filled with sand. She giggled...it was squishy! She took the time to study the rest of herself for scratches, tares, and what. Her white socks were still white...enough. Her brown shorts that went just above her knees had minimal damage and her white shirt with light pink spaghetti straps was okay too. The shirt had a little rose pink bow at the top with just a little lace up there as well. Her mom had bought it for her. It was nice but she couldn't say pink was exactly at the top of her favorite color list...but she didn't mind it. She dusted herself off before continuing on, wandering aimlessly though this village, eventually coming up to what appeared to be a little play area of some sort. Looking past the street to the side she saw a little two-person swing set. She trudged over and sat down, gently swinging back and forth. Looking at her feet she started to really think about the situation. How was she supposed to get home? What if she couldn't get home? What would she do then? Tears started to well up in her eyes as she silently thought on all this. She was really by herself! There was no place to go home to here! What would she do? She tightly pressed her lips together as she tried to stop the tears from falling. She hauled herself up, walked over to a building, and leaned against the wall in it's alley way. 

_What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?_ That was the question that was going on and on in her head. She continued to stare at her feet while shuffling them every now and then. She bit her lips together and heaved in and out a long nose-sigh. _Crud…cruuud!_

Stop. Listen. She heard laughter and turned around, peeking out from behind the wall. There were a group of kids that came out onto the play area, kicking a ball. She continued to watch them play wishing she had a friend right now. But no... She was by herself all because of her stupid shyness. Even if she had one of her animal friends with her they wouldn't be able to help much. Now don't get her wrong. She had her moments where she was bubbly and hyper to people. But they were special people like her brother and her two cousins but, as said, very rarely was she like that to strangers. She wished she could be like that with other children more of the time. Maybe then she'd have someone to be lost with...

Bounce.

The girl snaps out of her thoughts as she notices the ball get kicked from the group and roll to a stop at a boy's feet. He looked around her age but what the little brunette noticed most was his deep red hair.

He picked up the ball. "Here."

All the other children froze. "I-it's him."

"It's...it's..."

"Gaara..." another whispered.

There was a silence before another shouted out, "RUN!"

In confusion the girl watched all the other children flee before this one red haired child. Why were they running from him? The boy that the other children called... What did they call him? She couldn't hear. Hey, wasn't that how the ducks ran from her whenever she went to the pond? Yeah, but it wasn't her fault she didn't understand that running at the ducks screaming "AHHEEE! DUCKIES!" was going to make them run. No, in her mind, the mind of a small child, the ducks flew away because they didn't like her. She snapped herself out of her thoughts once again as she noticed the boy look down sadly at the ball before dropping it. He headed towards that swing that she was at just moments ago. He sat down and started to swing gently back and forth his feet not leaving the ground, like she did. The girl peeked her head out further getting a closer look at the boy's face. Did he have black rings around his eyes? He looked so sad...and uh... upset. Kind of like her. The girl frowned and narrowed her eyes in thought, looking over the boy and then the ball that lie motionless on the ground.

She took a deep breath before she walked out from behind the wall and over to the ball. She picked it up and turned to the boy, taking another lungful of air. Then she just stayed rooted to the spot. That fear of people she didn't know rose up again.

And that part of her said, "No" but... there was another part of her. It was loud, insistent, and unrelenting. Something she never noticed before...

And it said, "**GO**"

So she stood up straight and pushed a small smile to form before she took diminutive steps over to him. The boy looked up hearing the sound of approaching footsteps and saw her, aglow with everything else in the evening sunlight. A meek smile was on her face as she stopped in front of him. Timid yet bright and shining hazel eyes slowly connected with his sea-foam colored ones. She held the ball tightly to her stomach as she lightly twisted the heel of her foot in the sand. She looked from the boy to the ball and back again.

Her smile grew a little brighter as she gradually felt her shyness ease away. It was as if a locked iron door was being pushed open. "Um, hi. Would you like...um, ball, I mean, uh... You dropped it, um..."

She found herself stumbling again and that iron door jammed. 

_Oh crud! I...my brain just died. Craaap, say it! Just get it out!_

"You...play?" She managed to gasp it out. "With me?"

"You want to play...with me?" The boy looked stunned. Whether it was because of her question or the way she asked, acting like she couldn't breath and all, was not known.

She paused, "Well... yeah. S-so... do you? I, I mean..." Her smile faltered as she struggled for something to say. "We... could use this ball! So, whaddya say? Y-you want to?"

He stared at her like he was in a trance, unable to recognize what was happening. No one had ever **approached** him before. It was usually the other way around, and he was usually turned down- harshly. Even though he tried to be as friendly as possible.

"Aren't you scared of me?" he asked. Who exactly was this weird girl?

"Uh," was all the response she could get out. Scared? What the crap? Scared of WHAT? Wait was this a trick question? "Should I? I can't see why..." She looked every which way then back at him. "Well... if you don't want to..." She turned, disenchanted.

"No! Wait!" The red haired boy's eyes lit up with urgency. "I will!"

Her smile returned and he eagerly took her hand when it was tentatively offered. They walked to the grounds where the other kids were playing before. She felt it again, something inside that said she needed to be this one's friend. The iron door was beginning to move again.

"We'll play catch, okay? O-only this'll be different! Now listen, you can only hold the ball for two seconds! And we'll count down from ten and the person that catches the ball on zero has to...um...put sand down their pants!" she proclaimed, her stutter leaving. "You ready?"

"Yes... ready!" He seemed excited, yet unsure. Like he had never played with anyone before.

The hazel-eyed girl tossed the ball. "Okay! Ten!"

But she threw the ball at an odd angle and it went for his face. Something from the ground shot up and deflected it. The ball landed with a thud in front of him.

"What was that?" she gasped.

"Nothing!" He had replied very, very quickly. He snatched up the ball and urged her to continue the game. "Here!"

She got the ball... right in the face. "Ow," was her only reply. She could hear him apologizing profusely. However she only laughed, "It's fine. Me too. I'm not very good at throwing straight...um, ha." She started laughing again. "Okay, okay! Let's go again! What number were we on? Wait, aren't we suppose to explode if we drop the ball?"

"We... haven't exploded." He looked really confused.

"O-oh! Never mind! That rule is for a different game!

"I...didn't mean to throw it at your face."

"It's fine. Really. That was actually funny! Anyway... Oh, yeah! Here, let's just start over. Ten!"

"Nine!" - "Eight!" - "Seven!"

"Six!" - "Five!" - "Four!"

"Three!" - "Two!" - "One!"

"Zero! Ah crap..." The girl found herself with the ball on zero.

She sighed but nonetheless picked up some sand, opened her shorts, and dropped it in. It came out of the pant holes anyway but it was still weird.

"Me and my stupid rule making..." She mumbled to herself but loud enough the boy could hear. She looked up as she heard him laugh.

The girl smiled at him. She found him cute...like a squirrel!

Or...something...like that.

She didn't know why but all her worries seemed to steadily melt away, she just felt... safe. They continued playing with each of them having to put sand down their pants when they lost. When they were done with the ball game they played other games with the ball, mostly whatever she came up with, and after that they played on the swings, sometimes she'd push him and sometimes he'd push her. It seemed like the evening went by too fast as the sun was already halfway gone over the horizon.

She couldn't think of any other game to play. The two sat on the swings side by side. He looked at her expectantly. "What now?"

"I don't know...you wanna watch the sun set with me? Sometimes me and my cousins do that."

"Yeah, I know a really good place to watch it too!" He took her hand. "Come on!"

Soon they came to a large building, "Up there!" he exclaimed pointing to the top.

"Up there? But...EE-OOO!" The sand beneath their feet started to move and float as it brought them to the top of the building then set the two down.

The boy looked down at his feet after a couple seconds realizing what he had just shown her. "I'm sorry..."

"What just happened? How?" The girl looked at the red head in confusion.

"I...I can control the sand," he said still looking at his feet.

"Th...that's..." The boy's eyes sadden as he hears her speak just **waiting** for her to scream and run. "That's...so... COOL! Really?"

The boy jumps back surprised, "Y-you mean... you're okay with it?"

"What? Okay with it? Tch, yah!" She giggles, "I think that's just the best-est thing ever! Wish I had superpowers!"

He stares at her in wonder. No one had **ever** given him that kind of reaction before.

She beamed. "You're funny. Snnzz-Hehe!" She went over to sit down, making sure not to get too close to the edge. He paused, still surprised at her reaction but soon rushed to sit beside her.

The two of them sat in contented silence for a few minutes, watching the sun set over the horizon. It was so nice-looking. The girl looked over to the boy, his red hair was gleaming in the sun. She zoned out once again, mesmerized by his brilliant red tresses. She thought about how he could control sand. It reminded her of when she got to go to the beach. She loved the beach, playing in the sparkling water and the warm sand. She snapped out of her thoughts. What did those kids say his name was anyway? She couldn't believe she played with him all that time and didn't even ask him his name. How embarrassing, her mother taught her better than to talk to strangers.

She smiled. "Hey...um..."

He looked over.

"What's your name?" She looked away embarrassed. "I forgot to ask you earlier."

"My name's Gaara," he says sheepishly.

She blinked owlishly. She had never heard that kind of name before. But... she liked it. It wasn't boringly ordinary. His expectant stare brought her back to the moment.

"Oh! Uh, my name's Katherine, but you can call me Kathy or Katy or whatever... if you want!" She smiled at him and the boy known as Gaara smiled back.

Maybe...just maybe she found a new friend...


	2. Potato Chip

+++Part 2+++

Potato Chip

The sky was glowing brilliantly with the shads of red, pink, purple, and orange, the colors that the sun left behind when it disappeared beyond the horizon. The little girl now known as Katherine became enthralled by all the colors blending into each other so nicely. She realized this was the first time she'd seen the sunset in the desert. Hey, it was the first time she'd been in a desert at all! She refocused her gaze from the sky to the sandy horizon. There was really nothing out there.

Well, except for sand dunes...and cactuses... and rocks.

"Um," She turned her head towards the boy sitting next to her. "Do, do you ever get bored?" He gave her a confused stare. "I mean, doesn't it get boring? I mean... without any trees to climb or flowers to see? Or bugs to catch or...you know?"

He thought for a moment, confused as to why she'd bring up such foreign things. "Yeah... I guess... but not because I can't climb trees. My father gives me anything I want." A sad looked crossed him. "But no one will play with me..."

"I played with you!" She raised her hand slightly for recognition. He looked back at her fretful face. He smiled lightly at her. She returned the gesture with a bigger smile. They both turned back to look at the sky. Kathy guessed the skies were like their trees and flowers. It had the colors and it seemed much bigger out here than back at home with the hills and tall trees making the sky seem smaller. The sky was getting darker and when Kathy finally realized this she gasped and leaped up.

Gaara jumped up as well, surprised by her outburst. "W-what's wrong?"

"It's really late! I have to get home!" she proclaimed, looking for a way down. "Can you get me down? Please?"

"Okay..." he responded, sadly. Why does she have to go now? Swirling grains of sand started to form under their feet. The shifting sand made the little brunette stumble ever so slightly; her shaking form tried to keep upright as they got lower to the ground. When she felt her balance waver for a split second her hand reached out, quickly but gently taking hold of Gaara's arm before shuffling closer to him. When they reached the ground, relief washed over her. Her body relaxed before she let out a small sigh. He sent her a baffled gaze with a tint of worry behind it.

She wasn't scared of him now, was she?

"Are... you okay?" he asked, hoping he wasn't the cause for her fright.

"Yeah... it's just..." She looked down timidly. "I...don't like heights. I keep thinking I might fall." She looked ashamed to admit a fear, or something close to one. Though Gaara looked relieved to hear that he wasn't the cause. Her gaze returned to the sky, once again reminding her how late it was.

"Oh, I really have to go!" Kathy walked forward with haste. But that haste waned along with her quick steps until they were no more. Realization sunk in and was accompanied by the uninvited fear.

How was she to get home?

Looking back over her shoulder she almost gasped with relief when she saw the only one she could ask for help still there. She turned on her heel and walked back to him as quickly as she had walked away.

"Um," She cast her gaze to her feet in a way that made her look guilty of an unknown crime. "I... how do I get home?" She looked back up hopeful for an answer.

Again that baffled look turned into an expression that would suggest Kathy was an alien-not knowing that she kind of was one. "Wouldn't you... just go back the way you came?"

Kathy silently contemplated his simple offer. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as an idea hit her like the meteor that supposedly killed the dinosaurs.

"You...you're a genius," she whispered with awe to the even more confused boy standing in front of her. The little brunette knew how to get home. "Thank you, thank you! Bye!" She turned to go, her trot taking off to a gallop before-

"W, WAIT!"

Kathy stopped and looked back questionably.

"When..." He adverted his eyes for a short instant. "I mean... will I see you again?"

Little Kathy stared into the hopeful, pleading seafoam eyes. She knew her answer before he had barely finished. "Yah!" Her little happy voice called out, " Yah, tomorrow! By... the swing! I'll come as soon as I'm up! Okay?"

With eyes wide he scarcely got out a response. "Okay..." He never expected anyone would come back to him.

He watched as the little girl ran out of sight. He thought about tomorrow.

He wondered if she'd really come...

* * *

><p>"Shut up, Jim!" she yelled again.<p>

"You're not doing it right!" And once more he yelled back.

This was a common thing for the little ruby haired girl's parents to be doing. Her family had gone for a drive and, wouldn't you guess it?

Their car broke down.

And that's where they were now. They were on a small back road that seemed to go through a farm, guessing it was a farm from seeing the cows and all. This little paved road was to be the short cut they took back to their house. The girl sighed; at least they weren't on the big road. That'd be even worse.

_Though_, the little girl thought, _it wouldn't be as boring_.

At least then she could make faces at the cars passing by. Not very many cars had passed by on this road... five, maybe, in the last 30 minutes. The ruby haired girl peered back over her shoulder to see her little brat kid brother making faces at her. She sneered back in his direction, sticking her tongue out as far as she could make it go.

"Annabel!" Her mother scorned, "Be nice to your brother!"

"But...!" The look Annabel got from her mother told her she better shut up, or else. Anna slowly closed her mouth, pouting all the while. Her mother had to see her sticking her tongue out yet she couldn't see her little brother making faces? And while she was supposed to be working on the car too!

Annabel crossed her arms and glared in the direction of the woods. But her dark emerald eyes did not stay that way for long. They opened wide as she got an idea. She looked around her. Her mother and father were busying yelling and working on the car. Her brother was now tied up in his little hand held game. Annabel quickly turned back towards the woods. She only had to cross the field and then she'd be safe when she got into the trees. Secretly she made her way across the stretch of bare land. She hid behind some big old round hay bales, checking back to see if anyone had noticed. As soon as she saw the coast was clear she headed to the woods again, occasionally getting caught in thorns.

"Uh, finally!" She got into the trees. Her smile returned as she skipped her way through the woods. A few minutes later and she broke to another field. Though this one looked pretty much free of thorns. She decided to follow the tree line before she got into a section that looked much, much, **much** deeper than the part she came through. She laughed, a mischievous grin back on her face. She pranced into the woods. After a while she got tired and... maybe a little lost.

Okay, she was definitely lost... she just chose not to acknowledge that fact quite yet.

She looked around as she walked. "Whoa..." She gawked as she saw the shape of a three-storied house through the trees and their budding leaves.

Wait, who was that? Annabel stepped forward, trying to see through the trees. A girl? It looked like a girl went into the house. Could anyone really live in such a creepy looking house? Seriously, the place looked creepy. Everything about the house said, "I'm creepy!" Anna finally dismissed her criticizing thoughts and followed into the house.

Without knocking or showing any sign of respect, she flung the door open and yelled, "The fun has arriii~ived! Yeah!" The emerald-eyed girl looked around suspiciously when her call was not responded to. "Oh well!" She said. "Might as well look around!"

And 'look' around she did. She pranced around slamming doors and doing other random things. When she came to a bookshelf she almost threw off all the books thinking it might open a secret doorway. Alas she was bored before she even got through half the books. She came to a door and opened it to find... fur? What the crap? Annabel's expression was priceless as she looked into the closet filled with fur coats, shawls, and dresses. A sly grin spread across her face as another idea came to mind. She backed up a few steps back before she sprinted into the closet. The feel of the furs as she flew into them felt just as she thought they would feel.

Unfortunately she forgot to acknowledge the fact that the closet probably had an end...and then it hit her, literally. She appeared to peel back from the wall as she fell. Anna rubbed her aching nose. She glared up at the offending wall. She didn't even notice the strange marking covering the face of the wall. She didn't notice it glowing bright green either when she tried to punch the wall. Stupid wall, it deserved it!

"WHAT THE-" She yelled a four-lettered word that should not even be known by a six-year-old as she was dragged into the strange symbol.

"Uh! Watch it! Get off!" came an annoyed voice from underneath Anna.

"YOU watch it, jerk!" she retaliated before she was shoved off whomever it was that she landed on. "What the...?" She made a twisted face as she looked at the...girl...she had landed on.

The person noticed her look and gave an irritated one back. "What?"

Anna's eyes slowly went wide as she notice something very weird. "OHMIGOB! YOU DON'T HAVE, HAVE- YOUR EYES! WHAT THE HECK KIND OF GIRL ARE YOU?"

By now the 'girl' had her hands over her ears. "What are you talking about you crazy...! I'M A BOY!"

Anna blinked in confusion but soon broke out into uncontrollable laughter. "You... have got to be... the most girlish boy... I've ever seen!" she said between laughs. This only earned her a glare from the boy. He stalked off without anything more to say. "HEY!" Anna stopped laughing and followed after him. "You can't just leave me here!"

"Watch me!" he snapped.

Anna looked shocked before she grit her teeth and stormed after the totally rude jerk in front of her. Every turn he made and every speed she mimicked. If he threw her a glare over his shoulder, she'd return it intensified. This went on until he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. She stopped as well but didn't even flinch when he turned on his heel and marched right up to her face. If anything she looked proud. He glared into her emerald eyes. A dangerous silence followed.

"Stop following me!" he finally demanded.

"Make me, doofus!" She crossed her arms and gave him a look that just dared him to do so.

With a mild twitch beginning to emerge the frustrated little person (the gender is still in question) slammed his palms into her shoulders. A normal little girl would have fallen and cried but Anna only stumbled back slightly.

Then with an almost cruel sneer on her lips she reared her left fist back. "Was that supposed to do anything? Ha!" She mocked before allowing her fist to slam into his unsuspecting nose. Upon the painful collision he fell to the ground where he had attempted to shove Anna. For a few dazed and painful moments the shocked gender confused child wiped the blood and admiration from his face before rising himself on his elbows.

He then attempted to sneer as coldly as the redheaded demon child had at him. "This doesn't impress me!"

With a look of 'how stupid can you be?' she scoffed, "I wasn't trying to impress you, doofus." She kicked some dirt at him. "But you're not crying so that means I don't have to kick you." The scowl changed to a bright smile as she suddenly yanked the bewildered child to his feet and with a clap on the back she said, "Ya' know, if you wanna knock them down with a shove you gotta push harder cause if they don't fall they gonna be piiiissed!"

He merely glared in return. "Don't tell me what to do!"

"Ya' know," She wagged her finger chidingly, "for a little girl, you're really angry."

Looking very insulted he snapped out a "Whatever!" before finally storming off to his destination. Anna gave off a bored expression then went storming right off after him. No way was s/he going to get away just like that! Anna wondered on what to call the girly boy. He never gave a name. And what kind of boy has hair that long anyway? She never saw any boy on the playground with hair like that. Anna's face twisted into a suspicious scowl. Maybe he wasn't a boy at all! Maybe he just said he was to confuse her!

_Yeah_, Anna thought, _that has to be it!_

"Stop following me!" He barked yet again.

"Not until you say sorry and make up for what you did," She paused, "Potato...Chip!"

What? She had to call "IT" SOMETHING other than "girly boy", right? She just happened to be thinking about potato chips at the time. "Potato Chip", on the other hand, was not pleased or amused by the new nickname. He decided to do what he should have been doing from the start and **ignore** her.

She'd leave him alone eventually...right?

He...was...so...wrong! That crazy demon child followed him all the way home! No matter what he did, no matter where he turned, no matter how fast he went she was always right behind him! Except for when she out ran him. He was humiliated...and maybe a little impressed...but that didn't change anything! The annoying girl even followed him inside his home! Now when he saw one of the elders of his household he thought the elder would make her leave. Oh, how wrong he was. The redhead put an arm around his shoulder and put on the most innocent smile he'd ever seen. When the elder asked, she cheerfully said, "We're BEST friends!"

The boy was so stunned he could only sputter incoherent words. Only when the elder said, "Alright, you two behave yourselves." did he snap out of it.

"NO! She's a stalker!"

However, he was only waved off by the elder and only got a "That's nice" in reply. He slowly and almost fearfully looked beside him. That innocent smile was gone and a devious one replaced it.

**"Nice try, Potato Chip."**


	3. Fly

+++Part 3+++

Fly

He couldn't take it anymore! The girl had been driving him insane for the past hour. If she wasn't totally embarrassing him then she was talking his ear off.

"...And then the ants just started going crazy so I got a magnifying glass and started burnin' 'em..."

She went on and on and ON! The frustrated child closed his eyes and tried to take deep breaths to calm himself. Then maybe it would be possible to block out the inconsistent chatter of that annoying-

"Hey! Are you listening to me?"

The boy grit his teeth together trying to keep his composure.

"No," was his blatant answer. "Why are you still here?"

She crossed her arms. "I already told you, Potato Chip!"

"And I told YOU my name is Neji Hyuuga." Neji also crossed his arms. "Not Potato Chip."

"That's a stupid name; sounds weird." she stated matter-of-factly. "And now that I think about it, all of your family has freaky eyes too... and everyone has weird clothes." She added, "Your house is weird too."

Anna only received a dull look from the freaky-eyed boy. Yes, she had finally admitted he was a he by now- but only to herself! Anna liked seeing Potato Chip get mad when she called him a girl. "And why are there white bandages around your head?"

In the span of only a few seconds his face went from irritation to shock and then landed on anger. "That's none of your business! You-"

"Chicken Nugget," she continued unfazed, "little girls really shouldn't be so angry."

Neji grit his teeth. " What do **you** know?"

Anna watched him get up and walk to the door. "Hey, where are you going?" She got up and trailed after him. "Hey," she repeated, "where are you going?"

"To train."

Confused she asked, "Train? I didn't see any stations around here. I've never been on a train before."

Rolling his eyes, he continued out of the household with the little ruby head tailing him all the way.

At the training grounds Anna **immediately** let the Hyuuga know of her disappointment and how much she had wanted to go for a train ride. Sighing, the brown-haired boy focused on his training. Perhaps it would help ease his mind of the chatterbox.

He practiced and practiced. He would not accept anything but perfection. From throwing shuriken to the gentle fist, he had to get it just right. A little bit into he training he stopped. Something was wrong. He stood quietly and tried to listen for it. But he could only hear silence. SILENCE. Neji slowly turned his head to peek over his shoulder. There sat that little chatterbox; stunned into silence. Her mouth hung open as she watched in wonder. None of the boys at the playground could pull stunts like that! The brunette boy turned back to face the ruby girl with a smirk that was almost a grin.

"This is something a loser like you will never be able to do." He said it smugly, as if he knew everything. Anna broke out of her trance with a scowl.

"Yeah?" She spat. "Well this LOSER punched YOU in the FACE and you FELL! LIKE THE LITTLE GIRL YOU ARE!" She had insulted her own gender... it was worth it, if only to get that little twitch from him.

Neji's face twisted in annoyance whilst recalling her punch to his nose when he'd tried to push her. Now it was Anna's turn to look smug. HA.

"What did you say your name was, again?"

"Didn't give it to ya!" The redhead stated bluntly.

Clenching his fists he demanded more than inquired, "Then what is it?"

Huh? This question caused the brain behind those emerald eyes to stop and think. Her name? It was Annabel. But she didn't like that name! It was ooold! "It's..."

"Well?"

"It's Oreo! My name is Oreo Burnstone!" Anna ended confidently, liking the sound of her new first name. Those were her favorite cookies after all.

"And you said my name was weird... and your clothes are what's weird around here!"

_Wow_, Anna thought. _A little late for that isn't it?_

But that didn't stop her from checking to see what was so 'weird'. Her yellow spaghetti-strap had noodles across the front and didn't exactly cover her belly too well. Her shorts were just old jeans that she took scissors to. What was so weird about that? Some of the people on the streets looked like they were wearing house robes for crying out loud! She flipped her short red locks over her shoulder and simply exclaimed, "You're stupid."

Neji managed to suppress all but one twitch of his right eye. He fixed a glare on the little devil child he now knew as "Oreo."

"You," he spat out, "are going home."

The irritated boy grabbed Anna's wrist and started walking. "Where are you going? EW, stop holding my hand!" She yanked back her hand and hit the Hyuuga child on back. He let out a long sigh. She was really wearing his patience down.

"To where you ran into me. That's where."

"YOU ran into ME!"

The rest of the way Anna was either poking the boy or just rambling on non-stop about this and that. Neji wasn't really listening. "I'm not going anywhere until you say sorry!"

"Just go home!"

"No!" She huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. "Say sorry!"

"I will say no such thing. You're the one that should apologize." He sighed. "Just go back to where you came from."

Anna looked straight into those strange white eyes. "I can't."

"What?"

"I said I can't." She spat. "I don't know how I got here."

Neji paused. "What do you mean you don't know how you got here? Where are you from?"

Anna's eyes brightened as a grin spread across her face. "I'm from the land of the free, baby!" she declared proudly.

"Land of the... free? It doesn't exist," he stated.

Anna glared. "Yes it does!"

"It does not."

Anna huffed. Stupid freaky-eyed girly boy! "You're so stupid!"

He ignored the comment this time and instead focused his gaze on some birds flying overhead. The eyes of Anna followed. "Freedom doesn't exist in this world. Your fate is chosen from the start." Anna blinked. What was this kid on?

...

"That sounds friggin' retarded."

"What?"

She grinned while placing her fits on her hips. "Freedom isn't free! You have to fight for it! Even the birds have to stretch their wings and try to make that first jump before they can fly! They aren't born flying, doofus, nothing is!" She finished triumphantly. She had to admit to herself, that was pretty cool...even if she did kinda borrow some- okay, **most** of it from some books and movies she had seen.

The young Hyuuga in front of her was actually taken back. "Th-that doesn't mean anything! All birds are fated to fly!"

"Na-uh! Penguins are birds and they can't fly!"

Again she had flabbergasted him. "Wh-what?"

"They do sorta fly in water though. See? The little penguins didn't give up! Unlike you! Go ahead! Give up! You'll never get penguins- I mean- freedom like that! Screw you! Ah-!"

Anna had backed up and tripped over...her own feet. She quickly caught herself only to trip again on a root. "Son of a bit-!" She fell through bushes, her back slamming onto a hard and rough surface. She hardly turned in time to see and saw that same glow from before...

Neji pushed though the bushes. He wasn't going to let her get away after that!

Where did she...?

He looked around only to find her gone. Just a large tree stood before him. He even activated his freaky eyes to search the area. No sign of her. Impossible, nothing could escape his vision! His eyes scanned all around him but to no avail. How could she just disappear? He had wanted to ask her what she'd meant.

He didn't understand what she was saying, he couldn't and he wouldn't... not for a long time, at least.

Oreo Burnstone. He wouldn't forget that name.

Not ever.

* * *

><p>Annabel was having the weirdest day of her life. Seriously, what just happened? One minute she was one place and now she's back where she was and- ugh! It was all too confusing for her. Nearly in a frightful daze, she staggered out of the weird house. Out in the woods the trees seemed tall and leering. Anna stared up at the sky through the canopy, staggering a little forward and backward. She twitched when a squirrel dashed through the top of the trees. One of the many walnuts it held in its mouth dropped and hit Anna right on top of her head. And as if she had been hit by a rock she collapsed straight down on her back. She laid there staring like a fish with wide eyes and open mouth at where the squirrel had once been.<p>

"The squirrels," she whispered, "There out to get me!" Like a struck match she flared up from the ground and took off running... right into a pipe. A few minutes later she came to.

She blinked.

"Why was there a pipe out in the middle of the woods?" It was old and rusting, but who put it there? Her eyes darted about suspiciously. "Albus Dumbledore... he's teamed up with the ninja squirrels and Ronald Weasly... to come and get me!" She jumped up. "Mommy! Wait, she's probably the one that sent them on me! Daddy! Wait, no! He's probably got the happy people with the needle and white coats after me!" Anna twitched furiously. "They'll never get me! Never!"

By the end of her declaration she was in fetal position laughing near manically. During so, another slightly younger little girl stepped out of the house Anna had recently just left. Katherine. She had a thrilled smile and quickly rushed down the steps. She went to break into a run but halted when she saw Anna. The little brunette decided she didn't want to know why there was someone she didn't know on her land or why she was twitching and laughing like she was. So Katherine continued on her way.

But Annabel, hearing and seeing this new creature, jumped up and nearly startled the girl to death shouting, "You! You're working for Albus Dumbledore, aren't you? And my MOM!" Anna pounced her. "I can't trust anyone!"

The little hazel-eyed girl started to tremble. This has never happened to her before and she wasn't sure what was going on. That confusion doubled when Anna hugged the girl's head to her chest and started patting her. "Don't worry, don't worry. Annabel won't hurt you!" She smirked insanely. "But Annabel isn't here right now! Muhaha! No, Oreo's here now!" Anna randomly jumped up and turned to a tree. "You! You know where Dumbledore's hiding don't you?"

When Anna started attacking the tree Kathy took the opportunity and made a mad dash out of the area and the situation. However, she looked behind to see that Annabel or Oreo or whoever coming after her with a long, skinny stick in hand, about twice the size of the one holding it, swinging it around wildly. Katherine's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. Anna ran straight at her emitting a war cry. That was enough to get Kathy to go full speed. But she couldn't get the crazed girl off her trail until she rushed past a branch. Pushing it out of her way, it came back and hit Anna in the face. Annabel fell dazed and, for a minute, lay there. Katherine now long gone, Anna got up to hear a familiar sounding yell. Uh-oh... Better follow it before it gets worse.

"Annabel Burnstone!" Her mother screamed as Anna came strutting up the hill to the family sedan.

"Whaaat?"

"Shut up! Don't act like you don't know! What is wrong with you? Wondering off like that!" Blah, blah, blah, blab was all that Anna heard.

She didn't whine when her mother shoved her in the car nor did she pay attention to her annoying kid brother. No, she just watched the woods as their car pulled away wondering if she would ever get to go in there again.

* * *

><p>It was late. Kathy bound over the hills like a running white tail deer fawn. The air was becoming cooler. She could tell as it brushed past her face while she ran, the scents of all the things in bloom filling her nostrils. She saw her house up ahead and hurried her pace.<p>

She could see the clouds in the distance reflect the light of the sun that had already gone down while some were darkened due to the absence of full light. Kathy marveled in this beauty until she came to the side door of the little house. She hopped up the little concrete patio and steps before she swept open the door. Her mother stood at the sink washing dishes.

"Where were you?" Her mother did not turn or stop with the dishes. She could her Kathy's wheezing breaths. "You missed dinner. I rang the dinner bell twice. Daddy was talking about going to find you." Wash, rinse, place in drying racket, repeat. She sighed, "but I told him you 'd be back. So what were you doing? Did you hear the bell?"

Kathy sucked in a breath. "I was playing in the woods and I made a friend!" She paused and looked over at the copper cowbell that rested on top of the refrigerator. "I didn't hear the bell."

"What kind of friend?"

"He's really fun! And nice! Very nice! We played lots like catch and played on the swing and I put sand down my pants, I mean, shorts, and he laughed! He has a nice laugh, it made me smile and his name is Gaara!" She finished with and excited smile. "He wants to play again tomorrow!"

Her mother dried her hands on the dishtowel and moved her ice blue gaze to Katherine. "A boy? What a name... How old is he?" She knew what Katherine meant when she chirped "Me!" in reply. It meant he was around her age. "Alright, that's fine." Her mother continued, "Just let us know so we don't worry. Now go let your father know you're here."

"Yah!" Kathy ran out of the kitchen, into the living room, and down the hall to her parent's room.

"Well, hello there!" Boomed her father's voice. "Where've you been?"

Kathy told her father about the red headed boy. There were no outward objections. Her father just gave her a smile from under his mustache. Kathy then decided to tell her older brother of three years and he called her a silly little butt monkey. She didn't know why but he did and with a freaky grin too. Oh, well. Kathy could barely wait for tomorrow as her mother put her in a nightgown and tucked her in, lights off. Katherine tried to sleep but she just couldn't wait. She wished tomorrow would come right now! But that wouldn't happen. She stared up at the moon from the window next to her bed thinking about her friend. Far away, he was looking at the moon too. Alone on a rooftop, no one was going to tell him goodnight or put him to bed. He didn't know these things. Lonely, he looked up at the stars and wondered...if maybe... Hope glistened in those sea-foam eyes. She hadn't run away and she said she'd be back. He had to keep telling himself this. She didn't run. She said she'd be back. Would she? What if she didn't? He started breathing heavy, nearly panicking, and his eyes wide.

He didn't want to be alone anymore...

* * *

><p>AN: Well, that concludes chapter 3. I am still experimenting with my writing style so any constructive feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading.


	4. Little Forest

**A/N:** Hello again. I wasn't planning to update this so soon but there was some confusion about the last chapters so I will explain now.

The little part with Annabel and Neji was what you might call... a "side dish." They are not the main focus, but it does play a role in the long run.

Please keep in mind that this is my first story and I'm still learning. Constructive criticism is good but I ask that you do not bite my head off. ^_^'

Thank you.

* * *

><p><span>+++Part 4+++<span>

Little Forest

Hot. It was always hot during the day. The sun rising up always signaled the end of the cold night. But this day wasn't like the others. This day, as soon as the sun was up and there was light outside, he went to the swing set. He sat on the same swing he did everyday when he would come to watch the other children play ball with each other. But today he was here much earlier. Even before his training began. He didn't want to miss her.

"Gaara..." Standing to his right, a man spoke. "Lord Kazekage is requesting you. It's time for your lessons. You know that."

"But, Yashamaru, I..."

The man smiled gently. "I'm sure there will be time to play after your lessons. Please Gaara, Lord Kazekage is waiting."

Gaara sat there on the swing with a pleading look. "That's not it. I..." He sighed before getting up and looking down, disappointed.

"What is it, Gaara?"

"I... I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh?" Now this sparked the man's interest and he thought for a minute. "I'm sure they'll be here when you get back." _One of the older kids must have been joking? Or maybe he had one of the other children cornered?_ The man, Yashamaru, thought this. There's no way they'd be back. Whoever it was. "Come on now." He said as he led Gaara away. Said boy looked back at the swing anxiously.

"What if she comes and I'm not there?" He asked the man walking beside him.

_Ah, a she, is it?_ "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, Gaara." Yashamaru spoke the lie sweetly. He knew no one would show up.

* * *

><p>"Bleh! Hot!" Whined little Katherine.<p>

She had just crawled out of that mini-cave from before. It was hard running all the way from that glowing light thing. After touching the symbol in the house for a few seconds the thing would glow, drag her in, pull her though this place with lots of moving colors, and then just spit her out flat! How rude. Oh well, the important thing was that she was back in the village. What was it called? Sun? Bleh, whatever. It was hot. Now... where are the swings again?

* * *

><p>The training session had finally ended. The young red haired boy never really had anything to look forward to until now. It had made him so impatient he could barely stand it. Nearly everyday his father would teach him the secrets of the shinobi. Today he didn't want to, though, but he still did his best. Not that it gave him his father's acceptance. He was always left to himself afterwards. But today was different. Today he was going to be with his new friend. Gaara's apprehension grew as he got closer and closer to the play area near the edge of the village, the one where he first met her. Katherine. An unusual name- he had never heard it before. But he liked it, that and the idea of him being able to call someone's name, to actually have someone run to him instead of away. That made him excited, glad even. The village wall came into full view with the play area. He wondered if Katherine would be glad too.<p>

He stopped.

Empty. His heart sank. There was no one. Not even the kids that played ball were here. He lowered his head, clearly disappointed. Trudging over to the swing he sat and started to push himself gently back and forth, his feet not leaving the ground. He would wait anyway. A little hope still clung to him. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

He didn't know how long he sat there like that, slowly, back and forth, back and forth. It felt like forever to him. He stopped moving the swing and let out a long sigh through his nose, looking gloomy as if his puppy had died. A lone small breeze tickled his hair... but not anywhere else, just the hair at the top of his head. It wasn't the wind. He jerked his head to look behind him and the first thing he saw was... a fish.

"You have pretty hair," came a quiet voice.

He stared wide-eyed and mouth agape. With the same stare his eyes followed the little figure to the swing beside him. "Th, thank...you," he barely remembered to say. Staring, he had to keep telling himself this was real. There she was- in a pastel light blue dress that went just below her knees, thick straps, and little white fish circling around her waist. She started twisting in the swing and caught him looking at the fish.

"I like the fishies, too." She smiled while fidgeting with the swing more. "They're drawn like...the fishies that, um, people used to use to show that they follow Jesus. So... I like it! Sorry I wasn't- I took a long time, uh... you live in a big town. If it weren't for your red hair, well, I might have gone right past! Sorry..." She looked down embarrassed.

"It's, it's okay!" He replied quickly. "I'm... glad." He smiled hesitantly. "Really glad you're here."

That brought forth a great big smile from the little brunette. "Me, too," was her excited reply. "Me, too!"

And the scarlet haired boy smiled a little wider.

* * *

><p>"Katherine." - "Yes?" - "This way." - "Coming!"<p>

Such were the words exchanged after seeing who could swing the highest. But there was no competition; it was just for fun really. When Gaara called Katherine she came running. She didn't notice how happy that made him. No, her thoughts centered on how he amazed her. First he was on the swing with her and the next he was all the way over there? She didn't know how he could move so fast. Where were they going, anyway? Was he going to show her something? Or maybe play a new game? Katherine didn't know but she didn't ask either. She just continued to faithfully follow her friend just inches behind him, almost beside him. Occasionally, the young red head would stop suddenly causing Katherine to mimic such abrupt movements or else bump into her companion. He would then turn to look at her, as is checking to see if she was still there, and a small expression of relief would appear before he turned and continued again. He didn't have to be so worried though. She was always right behind him.

"You have a big house," had been Kat's first comment. But now, she wasn't focused on the big sandy dome-like mansion. Nor was she focused on how the buildings were all the same mundane color on the outside but very... colorful on the inside. Nope, she was totally focused on a piece of paper. Kat stared at this paper zoning in and out on it. Then slowly brought down a pencil and marked the spot she was staring at for so long. She sighed in disappointment after Gaara nonchalantly marked another spot on the paper. He had won... again.

"Oh," she whined. "I thought I'd win if I was the X this time. How'd you get so good at this? You said you never even played tic-tac-toe before!"

He only shrugged, "I don't know."

Katherine stopped sulking enough to notice Gaara's neutral-like stare. He had been staring at her like that every now and then. It was like he was in a trance and she didn't know why. It was starting to make her feel uneasy. "Well," Kathy shifted awkwardly under his gaze. "Well, uh... what do you wanna do now?"

He looked sad. "I... don't know." He paused. "What do you want to do?"

Katherine sat and thought on it. They'd been playing random games for a while now, only ones she'd been showing him. Hadn't he ever played games before? Right when she was about to suggest something else, a person walked in the room. A man? A woman? Katherine couldn't tell. Whoever it was looked very surprised to see her there.

"Yashamaru!" Gaara startled Kathy. "Look! This is who I was waiting for. Katherine..." He trailed off when he saw her face. Kathy looked like a deer caught in headlights. One hand was held up limply in a defensive pose while the rest of her was positioned like she was about to take off sprinting. Gaara tried asking her what was wrong but Kathy kept her stare in the direction of this "Yashamaru."

"Well, hello Miss... Katherine, was it?" Yashamaru spoke sweetly but it made no difference to Kat. She didn't take her eyes off the stranger's form as she cautiously moved towards Gaara. Confused, the red haired boy inquired as to what was going on. The man whom Kat was wary of looked astounded. However that all too sweet composure returned after a moments thought. "Hmm, it would seem your friend is very shy, Gaara."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, to put it simply, it means she's... very... uncomfortable around people she doesn't know."

The red head looked over his shoulder at her. "It's okay. It's okay, Katy." She gave her friend a nervous glance before hiding her face in the back of his shirt.

"I'll be going then. I'm sure she'll warm up to me eventually." The blonde man said before exiting the room.

But, you know... she never would.

* * *

><p>She came back each day. It had been almost two weeks now and she always came back. The caretaker of the scarlet haired boy noted how they always met near the swing set. He noted how the girl was happy and bouncy when around...him- shy and stoic around others, though, and Yashamaru wondered what possessed her to befriend the boy. The medical nin noticed many things about this girl. But most of all he noticed the difference in Gaara. He was actually smiling and laughing... more than he ever had in his entire six years of life. And all of it had been reported to the Kazekage.<p>

"Keep an eye on them," he had said. "This might work in our favor. Let's see if... **it** can be controlled."

"Then," the caretaker replied slowly, "are we postponing the assassination?" There was silence as the leader of the village folded his hands in front of his mouth, dark eyes hardening in thought.

"For now," was the heartless reply. "For now."

* * *

><p>They ran, they always run away. With terror in their eyes they would turn away from him and bolt... leaving him alone again. No matter how nice he tried to be the result was always the same. Until that time... two and a half weeks ago... when that one person came into his life. That one person, who seemed nervous around everyone else but open and free around him, was what brought a smile to his face everyday. The person that ran to him, not away.<p>

"Katherine!" He called to her from the swing set. She sped towards him and hopped to a stop.

"Hellooo, Gaara!" she chirped, "How you be doin'?"

"Fine," he beamed, "thanks."

Her eyes went wide and a silly grin spread across her face. "Your smile makes the sun shine better." Surprise slipped across Gaara's expression but his smile returned just as quickly. Kathy clapped her little hands and giggled with glee. "So," she started once she calmed a little, "what we gonna do today?"

The two friends, after a long afternoon of playing, were headed to the scarlet haired boy's place for lunch. Katherine still wanted to bounce around and play but after her stomach protested otherwise, Gaara put a halt to their activities. It didn't take him long to calm her out of her hyperness. He didn't have to yell. There was just something about him. Something that made Katherine feel calm and...safe.

"Race to door!" Kathy exploded from their casual walk into a full out sprint. But somehow he always got there first! He offered her a small apologetic smile while she sulked. "Aww, not again!"

This was how their days went so far. Kathy would come to the playground at noon, since Gaara had training with his father most of the morning. And they would do whatever, from playing on the swings to running around the village to going to Gaara's residence for something. But as her friend tried to show her how to use chopsticks for the hundredth time, she thought of something else. _I'm tired of this village and all the mean looks from the people._ She looked up at the man who was preparing their lunch. _And why do we have to come here? I don't like that man. He makes me so..._ Katherine shifted in her seat uneasily. _Can't we go to my house instead?_ An idea sparked in her brain. Of course! Why couldn't they go to her house? Kathy bet that Gaara would be surprised. Had he ever been to such a green and mild place? Kat would be sure to ask him after lunch... and after they were away from this man.

"Let's go to my house," she had exclaimed as soon as they had stepped outside.

"Your house?" The red head thought a moment and smiled. "Sure, where is it?"

Kat's eyes lit up and she suppressed a squeal of delight. She motioned for him to follow as she started to scuttle off. The two ended up back at the swing set where they always met.

Confused sea-foam orbs looked to her for an answer. "I thought we were going to your house, Katy."

"We're not there ye-et!" she sang. "This wa-ay!" She was so excited she thought she might explode her head! She couldn't wait to see his face when he saw it! "This way- through here!" She got down and started to crawl into the "Mini-cave."

"What...? Th, through the wall?" He stood there, uncertain. "But..."

"Come on!" She shouted from within the tunnel. He sighed, looks like she won't be listening for any protests. Checking to see if anyone was around first, he went in after her. And after her he went, through tight squeezes and sharp turns until, at last, they reached the end. Yet she was still going, sprinting and leaping away over to the dunes.

"Wait!" He took off. He was fast and was about to catch her, but not before she skidded to a halt thus causing him to ram into her. He... wasn't a full-fledged shinobi quite yet. Katherine stood back up and just stayed there, unmoving. Her head lifted up to the sky. She breathed deep and even. Gaara's eyes widened. Did he hurt her? Was she mad? He was about to ask when she turned around- a most serene look on her features, the opposite of what would be expected of a little girl that just got knocked down.

"Are you ready to see something amazing?" She asked. Her friend stared at her wonderingly. The he started to look around. He didn't see anything amazing. Just a few scattered sandstone boulders and a really big, flowering cactus. Though... it was strange to see a flowering cactus at this time. His gaze went back to her. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him lightly to the strange cactus. When he got closer to it he could see that it had a scarce amount of thorns- very unusual. He had never seen one like it.

"You won't believe this... but it's awesome!" Katherine said as she reached out to let her fingers linger on the peculiar plant. The next thing the crimson haired boy knew he was being dragged into another tunnel. But this one... was made of light.

They ended up in a heap in a room with wooden floors and walls... and nothing in it except a dresser pushed off to the side. A single large window lit the space with the sun's rays. On the wall behind them- supposedly where they were thrown from- was the symbol of the boy's village. And he could only stare up at it stupefied.

"You're..." came a strained voice," kind of... lying on me." Surprised, he jumped up.

"Sorry," he said before pulling her up.

"Okay." she continued to the door. "Come on!" Kat led him down the stairs, though the house, and out the door onto the porch. The red haired boy slowly followed her down the steps. All the while looking around, his expression truly stunned. All around him...trees...sprouting leaves...blossoms...grass. He'd never been surrounded by so much green and flowers. Everywhere there were trees in full blossom. Most of those blossoms were white. Petals were fluttering down all around them.

"I told you," Katherine whispered. His stunned face turned to her. And Kat was right. His reaction was priceless. Especially what came out of his mouth next.

"Did...did I... die?"

Kat looked surprised for a minute before she snorted and her laughter could be heard echoing through the little forest.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, that's the end of part 4. I wanted to put something in this story that you don't often find in others. I hope I won't disappoint.

By the way, anything I misspelled or mixed up was probably intentional.

For example, when Katherine said, "Race to door!"

The point was to make her sound more like a five year old.

Also, so that there is no confusion, Katherine will be called Katy (Cat-E not Kay-Tee) from now on.


	5. Bear

+++Part 5+++ 

Bear

"This way!" she called excitedly. Her friend in tow, they moved through the woods. Over fallen logs, sometimes under, and over little streams flowing in between moss covered rocks. The red haired boy had to stop and look around here and there. It was all so new to him. Sure, he'd studied different ecologies in books a few times but it definitely didn't compare to seeing it with his own eyes. A call from Kat snapped him out of his daze and he continued on.

At the tree line, Katy waited, a bright look in her eyes. "Come on! Look, look!"

Gaara stopped next to her, looking out from the trees. It was bright and so different. The sun shone down on everything. It almost seemed like everything was glowing. The rich green grass of the open field greeted his sight. Little buds and wild flowers swayed in the soft breeze. Kat brought him back with a small nudge of her shoulder to his.

"Kee-mon!" she chirped, running up the grassy hill. When they got to the top he could see that the hills were large and widespread. It took them at least ten minutes to get to the hill where they looked down to see Kat's house. He blinked. It was so small, one story with white siding and coppery brown shingles. His eyes widened when he heard a bellow off in the distance.

"Mooo!" Kat shouted back at the black and white cows in the other field- fenced with wooden stakes and metal wire.

Gaara looked to her. "Moo?" he repeated.

"Yah!" Kat snickered. "Moo cows! Oh, lookie! There's my mom!"

Sure enough, out in the back yard was Kat's mother. She was by the clothesline hanging up sheets. Katy shot down the hill, eager to introduce her friend.

"Oh," her mother managed to gasp out. "What a... surprise."

"Hello." Gaara smiled gently, hoping to be accepted.

"This is Gaara, ma! He's my best friend!" Kat announced it most victoriously.

Gaara's look of shock returned. Best friend? Him? His slack jaw reformed into a grin. He didn't think he'd smiled so big in his life! Meanwhile, Katherine's mom took in the appearance of her youngest child's best friend. What on earth was that stuff around his eyes?

"Uh, well..." But just because he had a strange appearance didn't excuse any rudeness towards him. "Hello... I'm Mrs. Watters. It's very nice to meet you, Gaara. Katherine just goes on and on about you."

"Really...?"

Katherine snickered. "Kitties!" A random outburst, but looking around, there were indeed... a lot of cats about. Then there was a bark. "That's Lindy." Kat said, taking Gaara's hand, deciding she would show him around. "She's a good dog. But my uncle keeps a bad dog in the barn, so watch out..."

The scarlet haired one seemed to listen intently, hanging on her words and always looking to where she pointed. She went on about how new kittens would be born in the spring and that she and her two cousins, Miranda and Jennie, would try to catch and tame them. She told about the dairy cows, chickens, and the barn pigeons. More was learned of the black lab, Lindy, and the "bad dog", a rottwieler.

"...And sometimes we see deer- wanna see my house?"

"Uh," he blinked, trying to take everything in. "Sure."

He was staring at the dark teal carpet, the icy blue walls, the faded blue curtains, and at most everything else in her cluttered room. He had never been invited into someone else's room before, or their house for that matter.

"Let's play this then!" She started rummaging under her bed. Things could be heard rattling around and she was almost all the way under the bed when a little chortle sounded out. He watched her with confusion. She slowly pulled out, careful not to bump her head. "Here, look." She held up some sort of... board. But it had holes in it.

"What is that?"

"It's...it's, uh... I dunno, let's just play." She finished setting the abnormal game board up. "Okay, you be the red pieces and I'll be the black. Just drop them in from the top and whoever gets four of their pieces in a row first wins."

With an affirmative "okay" from her friend, they began. Just two games later the little brunette was getting antsy. Why couldn't she win? Why did the black game pieces betray her? Whenever she played this with her brother he would be the black pieces and win. So why wasn't it working for her? The thought that maybe it wasn't working because it had nothing to do with the color of the pieces but had more to do with the fact that she was just randomly dropping her pieces in and Gaara was actually thinking about where to put his never crossed her mind. The scarlet haired boy raised his eyes to her, hand hovering over a slot. If he dropped the red chip in he would have four in a row and win. But he didn't let go. Katy was staring intently at his hand. Her posture was rigid and her own hands clutched and pulled at the ends of her hair. He watched her, almost trance-like again, before he moved his hand to another spot and dropped the red chip in.

"You won." He smiled gently.

"I, uh..." Kat stared in disbelief. "Won? Oooo, real...ly?" She sucked in air before bursting out in a silly laugh. "The black pieces did not betray me! Wooo... Hi."

"Your mom said you'd be in here with your new friend."

Gaara turned his head to the room's entryway. Two girls, one around Katy's age and an older one, stood in the doorway. He assumed the one who'd spoken was the older looking blonde standing up front. The younger smaller brown haired girl stood behind her.

"Whoa...creepy." The blonde started. "What's up with his face?"

Everyone was startled when Katherine brought her little fist down into a pile of her game chips. "Connect Four! It's bloody called Connect Four!" She paused. "Your MOM'S creepy!"

"Hey!"

"Haha, this is my cousin, Miranda. There behind her is Jennie, her little sister... and my cousin. Yep. Guys, this is Gaara, my best friend."

The two sisters shared glances before looking back at the red head's rimmed eyes.

* * *

><p>"I think everyone took to you well." Kat stated, walking with her friend back to the woods. "Once they got over your face."<p>

Gaara opened his mouth to speak but closed it when nothing came out. He knew she meant well. He knew it because of what she said back there. Katherine's brother and her two cousins had let themselves into her room. They were making comments on Gaara's appearance.

"Did someone punch you in both eyes?"

"What's up with your clothes?"

"Where did you come from- Mexico?"

There were so many questions and no response from the wide-eyed red head. It all stopped when Katherine emitted what sounded like a cross between a panther roar and a screeching falcon.

"Shut...up? Yes? Good." She started when all disturbed eyes were on her. "I don't care what you freaking say... I think he's beautiful, okay?"

A snigger from her brother did not do well to quell her agitation.

"You butt monkey! Shut up! God made people and everything so... if you call the sunset ugly you're callin' what He made ugly... and, and it's the same with people! We're a freaking Christian family and we're supposed to show it so... stop being such buttholes!"

Katherine then added an exasperated "Gosh!" at the end and curtly turned her face away from view.

They didn't say anything mean after that. Miranda was the first to apologize and her little sister shortly followed her example. Katherine's brother, Denim, commented that the darkness around Gaara's eyes was "actually sorta cool" then left. But Miranda and Jennie still wanted to play. So Katy and Gaara had to put away Connect Four and get some cards instead. The game was "Go Fish" at Katherine's insistence. Brightly colored fish shaped cards were used.

And now here they were, walking along in a green field set with a golden radiance with the sun's impending departure.

"I wish you could stay longer. Why do adults always get to make the decisions?" Katy started imitating her mother once she and her companion broke through the tree line, continuing their way to the old house and thus back to the desert. "Friends can't stay over night without permission, next time he can, next time, next time. Ungh, it's what she always says!"

"It's alright, Katy." Gaara spoke softly. "Next time."

Katherine froze and turned to her friend. "Not you too..."

* * *

><p>Heaven. That's what it felt like to him. Katy told him to keep it a secret.<p>

"Just for you," she had said. "No one else."

The two even gave thought to some code names. Katy blurted out some weird ones, some that didn't even make sense- or form words for that matter. "Uh," she gave a long pause. "Well...dang. What do you think?"

"Haven."

"What?"

"Haven." Gaara repeated, a distant yet happy look in his eyes.

"Okay!" She responded hyper-like before taking off. "Quickly! To the portal, gate...thing...to Haven!"

The sand child couldn't help but smile at his friend's silliness as he caught up to run beside her.

The two friends kept it a secret all right, didn't tell anyone about this "portal" or the strange house in the woods. Nope, they didn't even tell the red haired boy's siblings. To say that first meeting was awkward would most definitely have been an understatement. Kath stood beside her companion as he introduced his sister, Temari, and his brother, Kankuro. Both were older, Temari being the oldest. Kat stepped closer to Gaara, then took another to be hidden slightly behind him as she scrutinized the two strangers. She took in their appearance, peering over Gaara's shoulder. The sister had blonde hair tied up in four different places, stiff and poofy- a strange style Kat had never seen- and the brother had messy dark brown hair...and his nose stood out for some reason. She shrunk even further behind the youngest sand sibling when she realized the older two were studying her harder than she was studying them.

But the look in their eyes...

Was it that big of a deal that Gaara had a friend? Seriously, why did people act like it was front-page news! What was so weird about their friendship? Kat knew that it was special, a good thing. But the people in this village of sand acted like something was going to explode, for goodness sake! Why didn't anyone want to hang out with him? Kat didn't even see much of his brother and sister after that meeting. Where were they? Katy found herself wondering that more than once. It all strengthened her resolve to keep the way to "Haven" a secret.

* * *

><p>They couldn't figure it out.<p>

How could a couple of kids just disappear? The two were watched and "it" was studied. However, when the girl that had befriended **him** suggested they go to her house or shout "To Haven!" they would just vanish. Not even the trackers could find this girl's house. It stumped them...and humiliated them. The two always showed up again, or just Gaara would return at the day's end.

When his caretaker, Yashamaru, would ask it was always answered with "Katy's house" and nothing more could be pried out of him. This disappearing act was reported to the Kazekage, as was everything else that was observed from the "experiment."

Now they would await further orders, as that was all they could do when he and the girl vanished.

* * *

><p>"Where are you going?" Katy's father asked the duo.<p>

"The woods." She answered nonchalantly.

"Alright. Don't go too far." By the way he was dressed in coveralls and boots, Kat could tell her dad was going to take care of the cows.

"Okay." Again, nonchalantly.

When Katy and Gaara were on their way she told him a neat place they could play.

"We call it Deer Rocks because...well, I don't know...but that's what we call it. Anyway, it's fun to climb there."

"Are we there yet, Katy?" He inquired quiet some time later.

"It's deeper in than the house. But...yeah! There it is!" She ran to a formation of rocks. It was big enough to climb around on but not too high; Katy wouldn't like the elevation. It looked sturdy; he didn't see any danger in it. Katy crept up to the top before she stepped out on a small ledge and declared, "Look! I'm Bambeh! Looking over mah forest! Sh'yah!"

The red head smiled. "You're funny, Katy." But his smile faltered some. "What's... Bambeh?"

* * *

><p>Some time later, after Katy's detailed explanation of Bambi...<p>

"You can be the Great Prince and I'll be Faline...except I have antlers too. Just not as big because... I don't like not having antlers."

"Female deer don't have antlers, Katy."

"Yeah, but... Uhgh, fine. But I can charge like that mean heifer and ram people down. You get to charge with antlers."

"I...don't have antlers."

"I know that. We're supposed to be pretending here! Haven't you ever played a game like this before?"

"I..." Gaara looked down, appearing ashamed. "No."

"Oh...well, okay. How about this: You can still be the Great Prince and I'll be Faline, pretending here, and...play like hid 'n seek at the same time- with a story to it."

"Hide and seek?" An unsure grin slipped on his face. "That game where we try to find each other?"

"Yeah! And I have to find you before the hunters!"

"Hunters?" he started, alarmed.

"Pretending! Silly goose. Okay?"

"Oh...pretend. Right."

"Yep! All-righty then! Go find a place and I'll try to find you." She stopped to think, a last minute detail popping into her head. "And if I can't find you...I'll shout... Chickens! Yeah, I'll shout 'Chickens' and you come out 'cause it means I give up- can't find you. You'd win. Not sure where to put the hunters in the story if that happens though." She shrugged, already impatient to begin the game. Though Gaara didn't appear to mind. He seemed to listen attentively to her words, no matter how scrabbled she got in her speech, he understood.

"Ready?" He asked.

With appositive "Yep!" she turned to the rock face and began counting.

He was already far gone by the time she got to six. She'd skip ahead to ten soon anyway, he knew. The red haired boy didn't choose a difficult hiding spot. He wanted her to find him. So he sat and waited between a tree and some thick brush. He sighed, looking around at different points in the forest. His sight settled on a robin that had just plucked a worm from the fertile earth.

What was taking Katy so long? Did she forget how to count again?

The robin took off abruptly. Did it feel his stare? The shinobi-in-training suddenly went rigid. Something was not right. He stood slowly. Sensitive ears picked up sounds he had never heard before. It was shallow, haggard, and harsh. His eyes spotted something moving...towards him. It was big...black and bulky. Swaying side to side, it emerged from the dense cover of wood and leaves. At first, Gaara wasn't sure what he was looking at. Its hazy eyes regarded him at last. They stared at each other only for a few seconds before the thing pulled back onto its hind legs and let out a deafening roar. Sea-foam eyes widened as the boy took a step back and raised his arm, waiting for the sand to follow its master's command.

But no sand came.

_What?_ Disbelief and shock flashed through him. This couldn't be possible! He tried again... with the same result, save a few grains in the soil. Snarls and growls from the creature brought the young crimson haired boy's attention back from the ground. Wide-eyed, he backed up excruciatingly slow. When his back hit the rough bark of the tree he slid down, digging his nails into the dirt below him, trying again to summon sand to the surface. He felt only a handful of grains slide up his fingers. Why wasn't it responding as it should? And why did his chakra feel so weak? Gaara and the black beast stared each other in the eye, apparently in a trance, one waiting for the other to make a move; just one move. Katy's voice echoed in his head and a whole new meaning to 'hunter' was established. He held his breath. Whatever this animal was, it was acting bizarre. It just stood there, seemingly calm, seemingly not. One little twitch in his hand was all it took to finally set it off. Randomly, erratically it came at him. It got just a few feet from reaching the red head before it stopped. Gaara didn't even see it until it rolled into his foot.

A rock.

The creature swaggered around til it faced its offender; the one who threw the rock at its head. It retracted onto its hind legs again and roared. She 'roared' right back, the screech scarcely piercing into the beast's rumble. All the boy could do was stare, barely comprehending the scene before him. Kat stood on a slope, her hair a mess. Her whole frame shook, her legs quivered. She ran her hands through and pulled at her brown locks, screaming hysterically at the animal.

"Go! Away!" Her chest heaved in and out as she screamed. "You...! You don't belong here! No! This isn't freakin' bear country! GO AWAY!"

Katy struggled to breathe, struggled to stand, and struggled to think. Her vision blurred as she looked between her friend and the bear. Her form trembled even more, her legs threatened to give out. But she couldn't let that happen, not yet! She had to get the bear away from her friend. She had to!

"C...come 'ere!" She couldn't let herself think of the consequences. "Get...here!" She couldn't think at all. "Stupid bear!"

She screeched at it once more before turning and bolting out of there. The bear roared and it gave chase, its predatory instincts reacting to the running prey. She knew... She knew she couldn't out run it. Not even a full-grown man would have been able to. Oh! How she wished she were old enough to hold and carry a gun! She saw Deer Rock come into view before she was knocked down. The bear stumbled over her, almost as if it were drunk. Kat took the opportunity and shot up the very moment she could. She felt its hot breath as it got close to her again. She rolled and got under it before dashing out towards the rock formation. She slid, falling into a tiny crevice in the rocks. Enormous claws reached in after her, centimeters from her face. Katy pushed herself as far back into the space as she could go, twisting and contorting so her body would fit. Pebbles dropped all around her. The bear was pounding against the rock with its paws, pulling up on it hindquarters then coming down on the surface with all its weight. Katy gasped, feeling pressure on her left side. A large part of the boulder was being pushed in on her, inch by inch. She pictured herself being crushed; fear coursed threw her system and she let out a shrill shriek. The bear stopped pushing and tried to reach for her again, Kat screamed all the while. The black claw almost got to her when it withdrew and growled. As it grunted and roared, Katy could only cry. Everything around her seemed to shake. She curled in on herself as much as she could in the tiny gap between he rocks. A strangulated roar filled the air.

Everything stopped shaking.

Everything stilled.

Her cries grew weak then ceased altogether, trying to listen for it. It was so quiet now. All she could hear was the gasps she was trying to stop and the blood rushing through her head. She felt her arm being clasped, felt herself being dragged out, and she screeched... and froze. Terror filled hazels eyes stared into sea-foam eyes filled with equal terror. He breathed her name and she sunk to her knees. He fell to his in front of her. When he spoke it sounded like he was about to cry.

"Did...did it hurt you?"

Kat moved her gaze behind Gaara. Something big, covered in blood and sand. It was the bear. Kat looked all around, her head swimming. It looked as if the sand had erupted from the ground; parts of it were sunken in. He called her name again, a sense of urgency in his voice. He asked her the same question.

"Did. It. Hurt. You?"

She looked like she didn't know where she was. Her head spun and she could only sputter incoherent sounds before finally just quietly whimpering her friend's name. She leaned forward on him and they held the other close. They stayed like that until they heard a dull rumble and snapping branches. Gaara's head whipped in the direction of the bear, a deathly glare in his gaze. It didn't move. It was dead.

"Is that..." Kat whispered weakly. "It's...the truck."

Sure enough, a white truck bust through the thicket seconds later. Her father hopped out with a shotgun in hand. Denim jumped out of the passenger's side with a gun of his own.

"Holy...crap," he said after taking in the scene.

"Darn it, boy! Put the pistol back in the truck!"

* * *

><p>They had heard her screams. Everyone within a five-mile radius could hear all that commotion. Katherine's mother called animal control as soon as her husband spoke of the black bear. The two children were looked over fiercely, as Katy's father said it most definitely had rabies. Its strange behavior and the fact it had traveled so far from its natural habitat gave testimony to that. Regardless, Kat's mother explained that the animal people would be picking up the body and testing it anyway. Grabbing the car keys, the blue-eyed woman told the two companions they were going to pay the doctor a visit.<p>

"We'll call your parents later." She motioned to Gaara. "What is your phone number?"

Attempts to get that information became discarded after the red head finally asked, "What's a phone?"

Coming home later, Katy seemed all ready to forget about the incident and go back to playing. She and Gaara went into the living room to find a movie. Katherine's mother plopped the keys on the table and let out a long sigh.

"Charlotte."

She met her husband's brown eyes. "What?"

"It had rabies."

"I know, Charles!" She huffed. "Dr. Whitney examined them both- the good man. Gaara's perfectly fine, no scratches, nothing. Katherine got away with bruises and a cut on her scalp. They had to put a couple staples in and give her the shots...just in case. She'll be okay, he said."

No one noticed Katherine bleeding from the head until they were in the car. Charlotte could clearly recall the boy's frightened eyes, his pained expression, and his panic. Charlotte had to pull over and calm him down. He finally did so when Kath started laughing; she found the whole ordeal hilarious. When they arrived at the doctor's the two were inspected. Many of the doctor's staff were surprised of Gaara's untouched condition.

Katherine, on the other hand, had to receive the shots for rabies. They couldn't be sure the cut was from the rock or the bear, better to play it safe. Kath protested, of course. But when the doctor revealed rabies as a fatal disease, Gaara had offered to help hold her down. Katherine did not cry though. She merely held onto her friend through the shots and the staples. Charlotte could see...they had become very close.

"They don't know what killed it. They blamed it on the ground sinking in and a rock falling off the formation and crushing it... Charlotte, there was no rock near the bear. There was just sand everywhere."

"What do you make of it, then?"

"I don't know."

"Well," Her icy eyes pierced his. "God sent an angel. Let's just be happy it didn't turn out worse."

At the other end of the house, in the bathroom, Katy and Gaara stood by the mirror. Katy was shifting her fingers through her hair.

"Do you see the staples?"

"Not yet, here." He began to search through her hair.

"Do you see it now?"

"No... Wait, yes." He ran his fingers across the wound. "Does...it hurt?"

"Kind of... when you **touch** it."

"Sorry...! Sorry."

Kat scurried down the hall from the bathroom to stand in front of the TV cabinet in the living room and began searching for a movie. Apparently no one was allowed outside anymore. It miffed her but she did understand.

"What do ya wanna watch?" Kat turned to her buddy.

"It doesn't matter. Katy...?"

"Yah?"

"Are you sure... you're okay?"

"Yah."

He smiled, relieved. "Good. What are we watching?"

She pulled out a tape and pushed it into the VCR.

"The Bear."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **There you have it. Chapter 5. Phew, a bit longer than the last one, isn't it?

I wonder if anyone got the last sentence. Anyone seen that old movie The Bear? It was one of my favorite movies when I was little. I thought it would be funny to end with that. And I had to put a Bambi reference in there. XD

Fun Facts: Haven means refuge, safe place, or sanctuary. I have always wanted to read a story where Gaara found somewhere safe away from the cruelty of the villagers. I never found one, so I decided to make one.

Reviews are appreciated!


	6. Run

+++Part 6+++ 

Run

Chains creaked softly as a gentle wind blew by. Every now and then she would push off the ground to swing high, then stop, plant her feet, and continue to steadily rock back and forth. She raised her head to scan the deserted playground. Sighing, she lowered her head and continued to wait. He should be here soon.

Delicate little fingers wrapped around a small, clear, yellow whistle. Katy tugged on it while a bright green thread kept it secure around her neck. It was something her ma had given her after the "bear incident". She had to wear it.

That is, if she ever wanted to go outside again.

Katy didn't understand. She thought the bear was a rare and onetime occurrence. Her mother confirmed that but she still said, "Just in case." So Katy obeyed, even if it did irk her. In fact, she showed it to Gaara a couple days ago, and told him what it was for. He liked the idea despite the fact it wasn't needed. He could recognize her scream a mile away. Even so, he told her he'd listen for both the whistle and her cry...if he was ever apart from her long enough.

Katy lifted the translucent yellow object to her lips and blew lightly, earning a small squeak from it. She dropped it and let out an exaggerated groan. Wasn't his bloody training over yet? She sat there with her chin in her hands thinking, _if he doesn't get here soon I'm going to...do something._ Katy knew she'd soon be resorting to making farting noises to stave off both boredom and irritation.

"Hey," snapped an agitated voice. Kat looked up from her lap to meet the glower of another girl. "What are you doing hanging out with that Gaara?"

_What...?_ That was the only word that went through Kat's mind. She continued to stare at the intrusive girl, giving no response but the furrowing of her brow.

"Answer," the girl barked, "Don't you know what he is?"

Kat's eyes hardened. This girl sure had an attitude! What was her problem? A group of other kids walked up behind her. Kat sat up straight in an attempt to look bigger; a defense that usually worked on nasty roosters...But would it work on people?

_I guess I don't have the place to myself anymore, _she said inwardly, clearly vexed. Who were they to just come up to her and start demanding things? Well, they'd get nothing out of her!

"Why won't she talk?" a boy from the group inquired.

Kat's eyes darted between all of them. Are...these the guys with the ball? Katy thought so. She definitely recognized the girl in front of her. Brown hair, high ponytail, dark eyes, and older. Yes, it was them. Why were they bothering her?

"Talk!"

"Maybe she's traumatized?" another boy added.

The girl kicked dust up at Katherine. "She doesn't act traumatized when she's with **it**!"

"Yeah, now that you mention it... She looked pretty happy around 'im!"

"Hey!" The older girl grabbed Katy's clean-cut bangs and pulled, forcing eye contact. "Pay attention," she ordered in a deep voice, trying to sound intimidating but failing. Kat had to double-guess her gender. "Answer my question. Why do you hang out with that freak?"

Shock rippled through Katy. Not only had this person harassed her, but she had also insulted her very best friend.

The answer the girl received was the jerk of Katy's leg and the foot that collided with her gut. The girl stumbled back and huffed. The next thing Kat knew she was yanked off the swing by her hair and pulled to the ground. Katy laid still, her little fists trembling in the sand. Something in Katherine was rising. One last remark about her best friend was all it took, the anger that rose in her burst. In a blind frenzy, Kat threw herself at the older girl. Before either knew it, they were in a wrestling match.

"Get her, Kashike!" one of her friends cheered. Another friend of this "Kashike" even dared to enter the fray. He grabbed a fistful of Katy's shirt and yanked her off Kashike. The latter then took the opportunity to strike. Katherine's blind fury was surging. She reached out and, with long uncut nails, scratched the boy across the face. She reared up her leg and kicked Kashike in the ribs. By now, all the boys and Kashike were ganging up on her. Katy continued to struggle on. However she was quickly overpowered. One last kick from Kashike sent Katy into the sand, face first.

"Pin her down, Abiru!" Kashike ordered and one of the boys sat on Katy's back. Kashike kicked more sand in her face. "What did you think you were gonna do, huh?"

"My friend," Kat hissed out. "My friend is good!"

The kids exchanged surprised glances before laughing.

"He's a monster!"

"No!"

"If you're with him, then you're no better!"

"Bunch of...bloody butt'oles! That's what you are!" Kat retorted before another spray of sand met her face.

Abiru yanked on her hair. "Hey, what's that around her neck?"

"Get it." The yellow object was forcibly removed from Kat's neck.

Abiru looked it over before saying, "It's just a stupid whistle"

"Let me see it, " said another. "I like it."

As her face was being pushed into the ground she could hear it. The boy was lightly blowing some random tune on the whistle. It made her so angry- all of it. She tried to jolt up, throwing the nuisance on her back off balance.

"I don't think so!" Kashike's foot landed on Kat's head, keeping her down. They all laughed. The boy that had the whistle crouched down and played a mocking tune in her ear.

She hissed, frustrated with herself being unable to do anything. She had failed.

The boy got closer to her ear, blowing in the whistle as hard as he could.

She had failed to defend her friend's honor.

The eerie screech of the whistle filled the air.

They were all laughing- laughing at her and laughing at her friend. So angry... it made her so, so angry! _Gaara..._ she said in her mind what she could not say out loud, _I'm sorry... I can't defend you. I can't even defend myself._

She wanted to scream. She wanted to unleash all the rage on them. She wanted to teach them a lesson. To teach them not to say such things about Gaara, her friend. The sweetest kindest friend she had ever known.

"Let's go," snipped Kashike. "Leave her for the monster."

"He's better...than you!" Kat shrieked.

"What was that?"

"Kick her, Tsuchino!"

Katy felt the blow to her side but muffled her pained cry.

"I liked her better when she didn't talk!"

"Hey...!" Abiru tensed. The weight of the boy vanished from her back.

Now, instead of their laughter...she heard their screams.

"Please, no!" Kashike's deep voice turned high pitched with her plea. Sand rose up all around Kat. It swirled and brushed against her gently. For the others however, it was as harsh as a hurricane. Sand had slammed into Abiru, catapulting him off Katherine. It crashed against Tsuchino and grabbed Kashike by the arm, flinging her into a wall. Terrified screams filled the air, alerting everyone within half a mile. Katy raised her face from the ground. _My friend..._ Yes, there stood her friend just a ways from her. He wore an expression of such wrath she had never seen before.

"Stop, Gaara! Enough!"

It was that man. The blonde man that Katherine did not dare trust. The sand became still. After the group of kids limped away like dogs with tails between their legs...it was quiet. Kat hesitantly pushed herself up to sit. Running footsteps quickly approached her. Her red haired friend knelt in front of her, taking her face in his hands. Now instead of rage, pain lay in those pale, pale eyes.

"Katy...?"

She had trouble looking him in the eyes. She felt shame and embarrassment. She did not know what to say now.

"Katy? Does it hurt?" He sounded like he was going to breakdown. "How much? Do... they need to die?"

The footsteps of Yashamaru came closer. "No one is going to die. Are you all right miss Katherine?"

Kat looked between Gaara and his caretaker before she started off in a small, shaky voice. "Uh...you, they said bad things about you so I had to kick her then she pulled my hair then I totally went and turned hulk on 'em 'cept I'm not green and, and they were being jerk-monkeys so, so..."

"Slow down there. It's okay now, let's get you two inside." The caretaker continued, "I think we've cause enough of a scene here today."

The scarlet haired boy nodded before helping Kat up. He took her hand as they followed the medical nin. Along the way, Gaara returned the little yellow whistle around her neck. The companions traded looks. He smiled softly, taking tighter hold of her hand. She was stunned for a second but shortly smiled too. He had heard it, and he had come running. Just like he said he would.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure?"<p>

"Yes, lord Kazekage. The sand did no damage to her whatsoever."

"So he can control it...to a degree." His eyes hardened in thought before he continued, "We will test this. I want you to conduct a scenario. Use whoever you deem fit and report back to me immediately afterwards. Let's see how far he can control it...until she becomes a victim as well."

"As you wish, lord Kazekage." The fair-haired man bowed before he took his leave. His ninja sandals tapped quietly on the floor as he made his way through the corridors of the Kazekage's mansion (though it was more formally called the Administration Building). Finally he stopped by a slightly ajar door, listening to the voices inside.

"Hee, they blew the whistle on themselves."

"I know, Katy, you've said that fifty-six times already."

"Meow!"

"...What...was that?"

"Eee hee...!" The caretaker could hear the girl snigger and snort ecstatically, but as soon as he pushed open the door and walked in...she became as silent as the dead.

Gaara turned his head to the door. "Yashamaru..."

"Isn't it about time for you to be taking miss Katherine home now, Gaara?"

"...No," he replied shortly.

"Now, now. Her parents will be missing her. It's time to take her home." With the sour look he got from the boy he went on to say, "She'll be back tomorrow. Then you'll have all day."

"Fine," Gaara finally said. "Let's go...Kitty."

"Cluck?" she replied before following her friend out the door.

"So now you're a chicken?"

"I like chickens!"

"Yes...me too. They're good."

"Hey! Actually...yeah, they are. But that's not they only reason I like chickens..."

They're voices faded off. The shinobi knew he must now follow the orders of his Kage. And though he'd not say it out loud, he would enjoy making the demon child suffer.

Just like he had made him suffer...

* * *

><p>"Let's race!" Katy chirped, nearly skipping beside her friend.<p>

"No... The faster we go the sooner we have to say goodbye."

"Oh, yeah... But I'll be back tomorrow!"

Gaara looked up at the starry sky before he whispered, "Tomorrow's a long night away."

Katy didn't understand at first, but she soon came to a conclusion. "Mmm, it goes by fast once you fall asleep. Don't worry."

"Does it?"

"Yah."

"I see..." He mumbled, "Lucky you."

She frowned. "Does someone need a piggyback ride?"

"That's not it... I-" He halted his speech.

"What?"

"...Nothing. Just a bad feeling."

"Oh, okay. What was it you were saying befo- THE CHICK," she screeched as an odd shaped knife whizzed past her. "Oooh my, ack!" she yelped as Gaara pulled her to him. She could almost feel the mixtures of rage, fear, and confusion that were swirling in him.

"Why?" he started as his eyes locked with those of the masked assailant. _Why me? Why my friend? Why my ONLY friend?_ Sand shot up to shield as more kunai were thrown. The scarlet haired boy let out an enraged yell, willing the sand to attack. He kept Katy close. He was not going to let them take her away from him.

But the shadows darted all around them. Two? Three? How many were there? Katy stood close to her protector. She didn't know what else to do. She stood shaking, but her friend stood strong. He was focused; she was panicking. She couldn't take it. She wasn't trained nor taught to handle such a situation as this. Her mind raced but none of the thoughts were clear. She couldn't even begin to try and understand why they were being attacked. What did they want? Now weird dark star-shaped things were being thrown! There were weapons she did not know, sand swarming everywhere...! She...she couldn't see! She needed to see! Katy could no longer control or comprehend anything. It seemed as if everything just faded to black- she couldn't feel anything except her legs nearly giving out. She stumbled back and she barely heard her friend call for her. Everything was spinning. A crushing pressure on her forearm was the only thing keeping her vivid. She slowly returned to herself, glad Gaara had snapped her out of her frenzy.

But something was wrong.

_Why is he over...there?_ Katy's hazel brown eyes drifted to the pain on her arm. It was then she realized her feet were no longer on the ground. A man shrouded with a dark mask held her dangling beside him. _When did...? Wait..._ The seriousness of the situation hit her hard. She did not recognize her own quivering voice.

"Pl-please. Don't hurt my friend...or me. W-why are you mean?" The man raised a kunai to her. "S-stop...stupid APE!"

Okay, so insulting the man with a knife wouldn't be considered a good idea. But what was she supposed to do? She couldn't kick him in the crotch; he was holding her to far away. Who attacks a five and six year old anyway? Katy tried anyway to kick at the man, but it was useless. She couldn't reach. But she kept on struggling; she was not going to make it easy for them!

"If you want to live," an icy voice spoke, "you will let...her...go."

It was a voice so cold. Katy couldn't believe it was coming from her companion.

Before the blade had been raised to Katherine, Gaara had considered giving in to whatever demands they made. However, that consideration had gone as quickly as it had come. His panic stricken expression had changed. When Katherine saw, even she became nervous. His cold eyes leered at the one holding her captive. With deadly precision, he controlled the sand. It smashed into the masked man while more encircled Kat protectively before ripping her from the man's grasp. Her feet hit the ground. Not an instant had passed before the redhead was there with her. But she was frozen to the spot. Never before had she seen such cold fury, like the bitter, howling wind of the desert in the dead of night. He had to take her by the shoulders and shake her before she'd budge. Snapping out of her daze and looking around, she saw one of the assailants lying motionless far from them. The other was nowhere to be seen.

"Let's go!" He said with urgency, "Run!"

The two children ran all the way past the swing and to the tunnel. He told her to go and pushed her towards it before he turned to face anyone that may have followed.

Kat stammered, "But...I..."

"Run, Katherine!"

"...Leave you? NO!" She grabbed his arm and pulled. "We are getting outta here- BOTH of us- NOW!"

The redhead didn't have time to disagree. He cast a final glance over his shoulder, and after seeing no one he followed his friend through the dark tunnel and ultimately the tunnel made of light.

_We'll run, run away from here, to a place where you'll be safe._

* * *

><p>The two friends ended up on the floor of the old house. Acting as if they were still being pursued, Katy shot up and dragged her red headed friend with her. She didn't let up the pace until they were out of the woods and standing at the top of the first hill. They stopped and looked at each other.<p>

"What," Kat breathed hard, "the crap...just happened?"

"I..." Gaara had already begun to regain his breath. "I...don't know."

"The people...of your village...are freaking..." She took a deep breath as she finished with the word, "...crazy."

The redhead only nodded in response to her assessment.

"Well," she continued. "It's dark and no way are you going back now. I think you'll be spending the night. Sweet, we can roast marshmallows and stuff! Let's go!"

"Wait," he spoke as he followed after her. "What do we tell your mother?"

* * *

><p>Charlotte knew when Katherine and Gaara both came through the door that the scarlet haired boy was staying. But still, she folded her arms and waited for an explanation.<p>

Kat sighed as she began, "We totally almost got killed by crazy ninjas so he's going to stay here so they won't get him."

"Uh-huh..." her mother replied disbelievingly. _Well_, she thought, _if she wants him to stay so bad as to make such stories...I suppose it won't hurt to let him stay over. _"Alright, as long as his parents say it's okay..."

"Yep!" Kat cut in quickly. "They did!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Watters," Gaara added as he was pulled into the living room and down the hall by Katy. Charlotte shook her head and smiled before she went back to fixing supper.

The two friends played random games until everyone was called to the table. The pale-eyed boy never felt quite so welcomed before. The Watters family talked to him like he belonged. And he felt as though he could belong, too, sitting at the table with them. Charlotte even gave him the duty of making Katy eat her brussel sprouts. She ate them grudgingly... only because it was her best friend that had asked her to, darn it!

Denim would occasionally show his food to his little sister but a glare from Gaara would quickly put a stop to that. It was when both Mr. Watters and Denim started making monkey noises at each other that he became a little...nervous.

"Dinner and a show, yah?" Katy chimed in beside the redhead, still heard amongst the two "chimps" at the table. Her mother only put her face in her hand and let out a long sigh.

When "bedtime" came around, Charlotte had two sleeping bags ready in the living room. It would have been cold to leave their guest on the couch and having him share a bed with Katy was out of the question.

"Now," Charlotte began after she tucked them both in. "I want you two to behave yourselves and settle down. No getting up and playing. Go to sleep. Both of you should have burned off enough energy running for the ninjas, right?" she added with a smirk but soon frowned. "...And the toothpaste incident."

"When someone squirts toothpaste at you, it's only right to squirt them back," Kat answered back.

"I said it was an accident," the redhead defended himself.

"Alright, alright. Sleep both of you. I don't want to hear a peep!" Charlotte turned and went down the hall to join her husband in the master bedroom.

When all was quiet and dark a voice whispered, "I don't sleep..."

"You're telling me," Katy whispered back. "It takes me, like, two HOURS to get to sleep."

"No, I mean I don' t sleep...at all."

"Uh...why?"

"...I can't say."

"Oh...okay...I'll stay awake with you."

"You don't have to."

"I will."

"Katy...?"

"Yah?" When there was no answer she tried again. "What is it?"

"...Thank you."

"Aw...I thank you too."

"What did I say about 'not a peep'?" Katy's mother's voice sounded down the hall. Kat yelped and hid in her sleeping bag. But the one next to her didn't hide in his. Though she couldn't see it in the dark, for some reason...the one next to her couldn't stop smiling.

Late into the night, Katherine had stared at him...he stared at her. Neither of them were asleep. Darn it, she wasn't going to fall asleep until he did! After a while, when the girl's eyelids stated to drift up and down, the boy smiled and told her it was okay. After he had reached out and patted her head, she finally fell asleep.

When she awoke, it was with a slow start. Gaara had to roll her from side to side until she responded.

"Baaaacon," she groaned like a zombie.

"Your mother's making it now, Katy." He shook her again. "Just get up, already!"

With breakfast behind them and Katherine now fully awake, the friends embarked on a journey outside. But after the morning was up and the sun showed that it was high noon, the redhead knew he had to get home. Katy protested, of course. But she eventually gave in...on the condition that she was to go as well.

"Fine," he had said. "But you must stay close to me at all times. Don't do what you did before and flop away."

"I didn't FLOP away! I just...fell!"

"...Right."

"I didn't," she whined, following after her companion.

The blonde medic ninja was surprised, to say the least, when Gaara and Katherine came through that door. However he quickly recovered. "Thank goodness you're alright! When you didn't come back... What happened?"

The redhead explained the event that had happened last night in detail. Katherine remained silent. Somehow...she had a bad feeling that the man before them already knew all about it.

"So, you stayed at miss Katherine's house?" he inquired and Katy felt she knew it he was going. "If I may ask, where is your house, miss Katherine?" The little brunette said nothing. She only looked down and stood closer to her friend. He tried a few more times but came to realize it was pointless. So he sent them out to play and went on to report to the village's leader.

Moreover, Kat's feeling was right. He did know about the ninjas that attacked them.

**He was one of them...**

* * *

><p>Upon her return home Katy was faced with an old enemy. That weirdo with the stick….and irrational paranoia. "YOU!"<p>

The girl with a familiar evil grin tilted her head in confusion. "Does I knoweth you, kind stranger? Wanna make a dirt castle? Its like sand castles but with dirt..."

"I like the ocean," Katy replied still keeping her distance

"I like sand."

"I do as well… So a dirt castle you say?" Katy wondered if she could introduce her to Gaara. Maybe they could all be friends... as long as the girl kept her distance...and behaved herself…

"I am Anna. You may call me anything other then Anna Banana because I will be forced to kill you... And you will not survive."

"I like you. I'm Katy."

"Kitty, I don't want to rush this relationship. But by your speech words I can tell you also watch a very delightful TV show. I also enjoy this show."

And thus the "friendship" was born. So was a beautiful dirt castle. However that castle was destroyed only moments after it was finished... by Anna pretending to be Godzilla whilst looking for Lois Lane.

Katy decided it was safer not to inform her that Lois Lane was not in Japan with Godzilla... or that she was in fact Superman's woman. The castle had taken a very long time to make and she was very annoyed with its sudden destruction after they spent nearly TWO hours on it.

Katy's anger was only quelled when she jumped at the ruby haired girl, effectively knocking her down a slope. Anna rolled and came to a stop after bumping her head on a rock.

That is also the story of how Anna got to ride in the ambulance. As a result, the ruby haired girl and the chocolate haired girl now had matching staples in their heads. But Anna had actually enjoyed it. The crying, screaming, and eventually demanding that the people holding the needles for numbing her bleeding scalp die painfully by the needles...

Such a wonderful vocabulary for such a small child- Katy approved.

Indeed she did.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm still finding time to work on this, thankfully. I hate starting something and not finishing it.

The last bit was an extra scene I hadn't planned on putting in, but I think it worked out.

Reviews are how I improve. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!


	7. Rapids

+++Part 7+++ 

Rapids

"Ugh, nooo..." Everything shook. The young girl groaned again, "Nooo..."

"Get up, Katy!"

"Naah," she moaned as streams of sunlight shown down through her window. She was going to re-close those tired hazel brown orbs, but the person that wanted her awake was not relenting.

"Kat-tee," he stretched her nickname out before shaking her back and forth, rather roughly this time.

Kat, however, was quite a stubborn thing. She grasped the colorfully printed sheets of her bed and pulled them over her. A second later, all blankets were ripped from her form and left at the end of the bed.

"Katherine," his voice came strained. "Get...up. Or I'll jump on you."

Katherine didn't move...

She felt a force come down on her, causing her to cry out, "Ack!" Her eyes flew open as she and her aggressor bounced into the air before plopping back down on the mattress. "Hey!"

"I told you I'd do it."

"Okay, okay! I'm awake, Gaara, you can get off me now." Said redhead complied, sitting down next to her.

"French toast," he said suddenly.

"Uh?" Kat cast him a bewildered look.

"French toast," he repeated. "Your mother's making us some."

"Oooh, okay. Ha ha, I thought you were being random."

"No."

"But I like randomness."

"...I can be random."

"Me too! Let's go get French toast!"

Breakfast had been quiet yet eventful. Katy had made a big deal about Gaara never having French toast before. Once they were outside she moved on to running around the cats. Eventually he calmed her down. It was funny to him actually. He had to shake and jump on her to get her up and not twenty minutes later, he was having to coax her out of her hyper state. But, he being her best friend and having a calming effect on her, it really didn't take much. She was serene now, as they both settled under a black walnut tree at the edge of the backyard and field. A young calico cat wandered over to them. It rubbed against Katy's side, earning itself a vigorous petting from the girl.

"This is Sweetie Pie. Here, pet her, she loves it."

The scarlet haired boy reached out carefully, and too slowly for Sweetie Pie's taste. The cat moved forward and pressed her head into his palm.

The boy smiled, "She's nice."

"Yep, she's a sweetie."

The cat purred and purred, walking to and fro between the friends, rubbing on each of them.

"Hey! Katy, Gaara!" came a shout.

Miranda and Jennie jogged up to them.

"The boys are going down to the creek. It rained last night and they said it's really full! We're going too. Wanna come?"

"Sure!" Katy beamed.

"It...rained?" Gaara asked, astonished.

"Of course! Now come on," Miranda said, motioning everyone to follow her. Katy was way ahead of her.

_Right,_ Gaara reminded himself as he ran with the three girls. _This is an entirely different environment._

Three boys came into sight as they neared the woods. Denim was one of them. The other two stared at Gaara as if he was a mutant. Katy was very clear, however, when she stepped in before they could get a word in. Anyone makes fun of him gets pee'd on.

Though, even Gaara had to give her a strange look when she said that.

"Anyway," she continued. "These are my other two cousins, Luke and Calvin. Dudes, this is my best friend, Gaara."

"Yer 'best fweend'?" Luke mocked her.

"Shut up! I don't sound like that!"

Calvin, Luke's younger brother, joined in. "I don't swound wike dat!"

Denim laughed with his male cousins. Gaara stood and glared by the steaming Katherine. Luke was obviously older, judging by his rather burly size. Calvin was probably older too, though not as strong looking as his big brother. Both had blonde hair. Luke's was buzzed cut, but Gaara could still see the golden light fuzz on his head. Calvin, on the other hand, had a bowl cut and his hair was a much darker shade of blonde. Denim was in the middle concerning length, with the darkest hair of them all. His was a dark, almost black, brown.

Miranda scrunched up her nose at them. Jennie was quick to mimic her big sis's action. It was then Gaara saw the line between the two groups.

The brown eyed Jennie and the hazel brown eyed Katy glared at the dark brown eyed Luke and Calvin.

The deep blue eyes of Miranda did the same mean stare at the icy blue orbs of Denim.

It was girls vs. boys.

Then...

Gaara wondered, was he on the wrong side?

_No,_ he thought, _any side with Katy is the side I'm on._

"Wait," Jennie started quietly. "Aren't we supposed to go see the creek?"

"Well, sure!" Luke bellowed proudly, "Follow me!"

As they all walked through the woods, the redhead noticed they were going in a different direction than the old house. It was a good thing, he decided. No one should know about he portal except him and Kat. Another thing dawned on him.

"Katy," he began. "How many cousins do you have?"

"Um... I don't know. Both my ma and dad have brothers and sisters. But only Luke, Calvin, Miranda, and Jennie live near here." But she soon realized something she should have earlier and quickly whispered, "How'd you get here?"

"How I usually get here," he whispered back.

"The portal? By yourself?" she asked, still hushed.

"Yes, why?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I usually," she pushed a twig out of her way before going on, "meet you at the swing set."

"You slept too long today."

"I can hear it! The creek!" Luke announced and before he even got the fist word out, Kat rushed ahead of them, following the sound of the running waters.

She burst through the thicket and slid to a stop at the edge of the swollen creek. "Wow..."

The others were soon standing with her, reactions similar.

"Kitty," Gaara grabbed her arm. "Don't run off without me!"

"Sorry..."

The creek rapidly caught the redhead's attention. "...Wow."

"Wahoo! Let's go swimming!" Luke shouted, taking off his shirt and jumping in.

Katy didn't bother taking anything off before she leaped into the cool stream, made fresh and full by the recent fall of spring rain.

"Woo!" cheered the rest of the boys as they too jumped in.

The trio immediately began splashing and roughhousing. Miranda and Jennie, on the other hand, took their time taking off their shoes, tucking the socks inside, and placing them off to the side by the trees before wading in.

As for the redhead, he stood still, staring at the water in fascination.

"Hey, Red! Hurry up and get in!"

He flinched, startled out of his trance by Luke's outburst. Katy stopped doggy paddling in circles when she noticed her friend had indeed not yet engaged in the joyous act of swimming. She swam out of the deep part and in his direction until her feet hit the bottom.

She staggered out of the creek, water pouring from her clothes, and stopped at Gaara's side. "What's wrong? Don't you wanna swim?"

"I..." He looked from her to the ground. "Can't."

"Why not?"

"I...don't know how."

"How to what?"

He sighed, "Swim."

"Oh...well, you don't have to! You can just stay where your feet touch the bottom. Just don't go where it's deep, you'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" His eyes drifted off to where the three male cousins were currently dunking each other under, seeing who could get who and for how long.

Kat followed his stare, understanding flashing in her eyes.

"Hey," she shouted for everyone to hear. "Nobody dunks Gaara! He doesn't know how to swim...and no throwing him in the deep part either!"

The three boys all grinned at each other before responding, "Suuure!"

"Great," said Miranda, still wading in. "Give them ideas."

Jennie stepped in deeper with her sister. Now the two were up to their thighs in the creek.

"Why don't you just get in?" Kat scoffed.

"We're getting used to the water!" Miranda shot back.

"Okay, okay! Jeez..." She took her best friend's hand. "Come on. Walk in with me."

Kat actually tried to hop in. But she was pulled back by her friend's hand. He stood rooted to the spot, eyes transfixed on the transparent liquid. He had never seen so much water all in one place, in a continuous stream.

A tug on his arm brought his attention forward. Katy's happy gaze encouraged, invited him into what she knew wouldn't hurt him. He kept his eyes on her as he took those hesitant steps frontward. The next thing he knew, he was up to his waist in water.

"See?" Kat said excitedly, almost proudly. "No worries at all!"

She looked over her shoulder to the boys. They swam around, eyeing the redhead like hungry sharks.

"Maybe," she began, worry creeping in her voice. "We should stick together...in case they try 'n throw us in the deep an' dunk us."

Gaara nodded, noticing the "sharks".

"Yeah..."

* * *

><p>He wondered how he found this friend. She may have been weird...but wasn't he? When the three male cousins snuck up on them in the water, she had gone on the attack. She hissed something like a cat and a yeti, she scratched, kicked, and squealed in both her defense and his. But they managed to get her head under.<p>

That's when HE went on the attack.

They were left scratching their heads when he tossed Luke, the biggest boy there, into the deep. Though Gaara didn't understand it, doing that somehow earned some of their respect, even Luke.

"Cool, Red." Luke clapped him on the back. "I thought you were a sissy, but you're pretty tough."

"Hey," Calvin cut in. "Let's go down stream. It goes faster, the current. Come on!"

"How much faster?" Miranda asked, finally up to her waist in the water.

"One way to find out!" Luke sauntered out of the water to get his shirt.

The group gathered their shirts, shoes, or nothing in Kat's case and headed down stream.

"Wait up!"

"Hurry up, Jennie!"

"Wait!"

"Why is your sister so slow?"

"How would I know?"

Jennie fell behind. Kat was up ahead. She glanced back at her cousin and remembered when she was the one to fall behind. It wasn't a very good feeling.

"Run, Jennie! Bound! Leap! Canter!" she hollered back at the girl.

"Should we wait for her?" the redhead offered.

"No. Like Katy said, she needs to learn to bound and leap!"

The group made it to the fast-moving water. It flew by in the stream and surged against rocks and other obstacles.

"We can't swim here," said Miranda matter-of-factly.

"How come?"

Miranda turned to Calvin. "Never, EVER swim in white water. It will drag you down!"

Either unaware of what her cousin said, or simply not heeding the warning, Katy went right up to the edge and stared down at the water spraying at her feet. A firm tug on her shirt prevented her from venturing any further. When she turned, she was met with the steely eyes of Gaara. The look he gave her just dared her to try to take another step.

"Wait for me, guys!" Jennie called.

"Oh, finally. Here she comes. You need to run faster, Jennie!"

"I'm trying! I- oof!" Jennie stumbled over her own feet. She lifted her shoes up, as if attempting to save them, before she fell.

One of her little pink shoes escaped form her grasp. It soared in the air and splashed in the creek. Before Jennie could even get up, it had been carried away and tossed about by the current. It only stopped when it snagged on a large tree branch that had fallen in the middle of the creek, and clumped together with other logs and debris.

"Aw, good going, Jennie!"

It was clear she was embarrassed when she ran up to them. "I didn't mean to fall!"

"So...who's going to get it?"

Silence.

Kat began, "I wi-"

"I will."

All eyes turned to the boy with scarlet hair.

Denim frowned. "You? You don't even know how to swim!"

"No, I don't," Gaara confirmed. "But I do know how to utilize my chakra."

"Miranda blinked. "Utilize...your what?"

Kat's eyes nearly popped out of her head. How would her cousins and brother react to the powers Gaara held? Thought she didn't understand all of what he said, she had a feeling...

A bad feeling.

"I don't know what 'cha mean about chalk...but no sand!"

The redhead understood the look in her eyes. "Alright...I'll use the wall climbing jutsu."

He frowned. "And I didn't say anything about chalk."

Luke was looking between the two, and he was as confused as everyone else.

He threw up his hands and yelled, "Whatever! Just get the stupid shoe!"

The red haired boy nodded. He surveyed the area before walking up to a large tree. It had a low branch that hung just above the cluster of logs. What he did next shocked everyone, including Kat. He walked straight up that tree as if he were taking a stroll through the park.

"It, he...got spidey powers," gasped Calvin.

* * *

><p>When they got over their initial shock, they cheered him on. Questions of "how do you do that" were shadowed by, "don't distract him!"<p>

All of the children soon became quiet. He walked out far on the branch, and then hung down from it. Gasps followed after he dropped down onto the logs. He took a moment to steady himself before grabbing the prize. The pinkish shoe was hurtled into the air, landing with a thump...on Denim's head.

"Hey!"

The younger boy sent an apologetic smile.

But then...!

**Splunk!**

Gaara almost went white as a sheep. The logs! They started to give way, sinking and rocking. He jumped onto the highest point, a branch that sprang off one of the dead logs, to escape the water and get closer to the limb he dropped from. He was planning to jump up and grab it.

However, the surging current wasn't going to allow time for that. He wavered, staying up only because of his chakra grip.

Alarms went off in very corner of Kat's mind. "Hold on!"

"Somebody better do something!"

"Like what?"

"I don't know! Some- oh craps!"

The mass of wood was breaking up. Soon the whole thing would be torn up.

"Red, hang on!" Luke ordered as he tried to find a way to save the boy. He backtracked up stream so he could find a place to cross. Maybe he'd find a solution on the other side of the creek.

But Gaara found something was amiss. It was the same thing that had happened when he was faced with that bear. His chakra wasn't responding as it should.

"My...my chakra's giving out!"

Distressed, Kat cried out, "Why do you keep going on about CHALK? This is no time to be talking about CHALK! I will get you so much chalk later, rainbow colors, but right now...! Just hold on!"

"I...! Katy!"

Water filled his senses. The formation of wood had been ripped apart and his grip had slipped.

Now, he couldn't breathe. He couldn't see. All he could hear was the current roaring in his ears. It spun him, and dragged him under. He thrashed and thrashed, but couldn't get to the surface.

Up above, Luke followed, trying to keep the redhead in his sights. The others ran beside the creek. Their gazes scanned the water but no one could see him. Katherine had dashed up ahead. Her heart was pounding in her skull.

"I lost him," Luke yelled out from the other side. "I can't see 'im!"

_Why_, Kat's mind raced, _why_ _couldn't you have let him use the sand? Why didn't you go instead?_

She picked up with a burst of speed.

_Let me find him! Don't let him drown! Please, _she prayed before leaping off into the thunderous water.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Ah, jeez. Why does this part remind me of Little House on the Prairie TV series? A lot of my characters are based on people from that show, but still. I wonder if I ever make it too fluffy?

This part was actually inspired by a game I play called Oregon Trail. I was goofing around and named all of my wagon people after Naruto characters. Well, if you have ever played the game then you know what it's like when you come across a river. The game told me the river wasn't too deep so I chose the "Ford the River" option. Guess who almost drowned in two and a half feet of water? That's right, Gaara. XD I couldn't stop laughing.

Reviews are appreciated. :3


	8. Jumping

+++Part 8+++ 

Jumping

The weight of the water; it was suffocating, it was disorienting. He could barely see; blackness had begun to creep around his vision. The burning in his lungs became unbearable.

He had to breathe!

The need for oxygen became too great, and he succumbed to his screaming lungs. But instead of taking in air, water was all that was sucked in...

And his vision went to black.

* * *

><p>She kicked and thrashed, swimming as hard as she could. Where was he...? She couldn't see underwater.<p>

_Let me find him!_

Just then, a small glimmer came from the deep. It was scarcely noticeable, but she saw it. And when she dived down, it was all she could see. Swimming down, down in the frigid water she reached out as far as she could. She grasped wildly for it, until she got a fistful of cloth. With it, she struggled to the surface. Her little body was beyond tired, but she willed herself to go on. For it was not just for her sake, but also for the sake of the one she hung on to. She knew better than to try and fight the current. So she did what she was told to do in such a situation. She went with it, swimming diagonally towards the shore. When her feet finally hit bottom, she felt as though her legs would crumple. But she was somehow able to push on a little further. Before her collapse, everyone gathered around them. It was Luke who helped lift Gaara out of the water. Katy crawled forward, looking on helplessly exhausted as the group tried to revive him.

"What do we do?" Miranda asked, panicked.

"I... I think we gotta check his vitals," Calvin offered.

"How?"

"He's not breathing!" Denim shouted.

"Wake up, Red!" Luke shook the boy.

Jennie began to cry. None of the children knew what to do. Panic was rising on all of them. They began trying anything and everything to get the scarlet haired boy to wake up.

"Slap him!" Miranda yelled before doing the task herself. Still no response, not even a twitch.

Hope was fading.

"Punch him, man, do anything," Calvin screamed, "Just wake him up!"

"Hey! Punch his chest," Denim spoke.

"Is- is he dead?" Jennie sobbed.

"Come on, Red!" Luke beat the motionless boy's chest.

The poking, slapping, and punching all stopped. Luke and Denim's faces were grim.

The crunching of pebbles under shoes sounded out as she ran in a short burst of speed. She pushed off the ground and she flew through the air. Her shadow alerted the others of her impending landing...

Right on the gut of her unmoving friend.

Water gurgled up from his throat and sputtered from his mouth.

"Red! All right!"

"He's opening his eyes!"

"He's awake! He's not dead! HE'S NOT DEAD!"

Their cheers reached him as his eyes peeled open.

"Kitty," he whispered hoarsely to the little brunette. Her expression was torn between delight and pure fear. "Kitty...what..."

"I told myself," she almost wept, "I wouldn't let you drown."

* * *

><p>Katy thought differently of Luke from then on. Katy had always seen him as the bully type, but now she was proud to call him family. He had carried Gaara all the way back to the house. He used his strength to help instead of hurt. And even if he reverted back to his mean tendencies, she'd not forget his heroism whilst trying to protect her best friend. In fact, she had realized all her cousins and her brother showed genuine concern for Gaara.<p>

And she wasn't the only one to see this.

Gaara had also noticed everyone's concern...for him. He didn't know what it was, wasn't able to comprehend it at first. But it was slowly sinking in.

They had him sit in the living room by the woodstove. Luke, Calvin, and Denim were working on starting a fire. Miranda and Jennie were pillaging the hall closet of its towels. Katy sat beside him, a towel in hand. She tentatively dabbed at his hair and face. He turned to her and stared in that trance-like state again.

All of this...for him?

"Ma and Dad are down at the barn milkin' cows," she said when his gaze made her feel too awkward. "Hopefully we won't get in trouble."

Miranda dumped an armful of towels by the pair. "Maybe we should just not tell them. Hey, if the towels aren't enough, I could try making some soup. Or maybe some noodles. Something warm. I'm old enough and I've seen my mom do it a thousand times."

Jennie nodded her agreement just as the three boys got the fire started. Gaara looked between all of them, wonder in his expression.

All for him...

Maybe he should fall in the creek more often.

* * *

><p>A gentle breeze caressed his skin. He breathed deep, taking in the scent of fresh spring flowers. He opened his sea-foam eyes to the tree he and Katy were sitting under. It had white blossoms with little green leaf buds starting to take their place.<p>

"Kitty...what tree is this?"

"Uh, apple...yep, apple tree," she answered, a white petal landing on her nose. An exaggerated snort and sneeze brought Gaara's gaze back to her. "Mmm...let's play," she said plainly after getting his attention.

"Alright. What shall we play?"

"What, indeed." Kat spoke in a British imitating voice. It earned her a strange stare from Gaara.

But his expression quickly softened as he added," You're funny, Katy."

He said it like it was a simple fact. He didn't laugh, but he did smile a little. _Darn,_ Katy thought. She liked it when he laughed. Oh well... She liked to make him smile too.

"Okie-dokie, let's go!"

Before he could even ask where they were off to, she had taken flight. He quickly caught up and they both ran past the house and down what appeared to be a frequently taken path. At the end of said path, they passed under a giant of a tree. It was blooming with hundreds of purple, bell-shaped flowers. He had to stop and stare up at its sheer size.

"This way," she called. He ran and stopped next to her. They were standing in the middle of a small dirt road surrounded by...barns.

She must have seen the confusion on his face because she stared to explain, "The small white barn is where we milk the cows. The really big red barn beside it is where we keep all the hay and wheat- that's where we're gonna play- and the other two red ones are for...well, I don't know. They're just there. I know one has a bunch of metal scrap and the other is where we put sick cows, I think."

She turned, pointing to a long rectangular open shed. "And that's where we keep the tractors, you can see. Oh!" she continued excitedly, "See that green shed? That's where my dad keeps his plane!"

"His... What's a plane?"

"His plane! Don't you know what an air plane is?"

The lost look on his face told her he didn't.

"Oh, well...never mind. I'd show it to you, but Dad keeps that shed locked." She frowned, remembering how all her attempts to get in there and play with the plane were thwarted. "Anyway...to the big red one!"

Again she sped off; again he went after her. Up a small slope and squeezing through a slide-open door too large for kids to open. He stepped inside after her. The first thing he saw in the dusty old barn was some outlandish equipment.

"What are those things?" he asked the girl who was already moving away.

"Huh? Um, that's what we use to move the hay bales into the loft. I don't know what the other one is, we never use it."

Gaara nodded before continuing with her. The two stopped dead in their tracks when a low growl resounded out throughout the barn.

Katy slumped. "Oh, jeez. I forgot about her." When her friend sent her a questioning glace she went on, "Brandy. She's my uncle's dog. She is the bad dog- the rottweiler- very mean. But she can't get us, she's locked up in that room over there." Katy pointed to a latched door on the other side of the building. "She'll quiet down soon."

The little brunette hopped over to a doorway. It led to an area filled with bales of hay. She waved her companion over. With him in tow, she climbed a built in ladder just to the left of the doorway. It brought the two up to a loft-like platform. Katy tapped her foot on the wooden surface. "Okay, this is it."

The redhead looked out on the rest of the barn before them. He saw only more hay at the other end and a large pile of some sort of grain below them. What was Katy so excited about?

His eyes nearly exploded when his only friend jumped from the loft.

"Kitty!"

"Eee-hee," she squealed before landing in the mound of, "Wheat! I like it." She hopped up, unharmed. "Come on! Jump!"

Bewilderment was written all over his face. "What's... the point of this?"

Now it was Katy's turn to be stumped.

"Uh," she tried to reply, acting like she had been asked a difficult math question. "Fun...?"

He repeated her answer. Fun? How was jumping off a loft into a pile of wheat fun? Katy scampered back up to stand near him.

"It really is fun, promise."

She eyed him. His attention was focused on scrutinizing the wheat. A little idea popped in her head, and it really seemed like a good one...at the time. In a small, but abrupt, movement, she shoved him.

He gasped and stumbled forward, teetering off the edge. A stroke of sense hit Katy and she grabbed his shirt, pulling him back. Stable now, he turned to her. He looked betrayed.

"Just kidding!"

It wasn't her intention for him to go over, however...she felt bad. Especially with that look he was giving her.

"I wasn't really going to push you off!" Kat walked over to the edge. "You were just taking **so** long."

The hurt in his eyes was replaced with annoyance as they narrowed. Swift and strong, his hands slammed into her back. She quickly went tumbling down, landing at the shallow end of the wheat mound with a thud.

. . . . . . . . . .

Two seconds, five seconds passed, she didn't move.

"Katy?" Gaara called down.

No response.

His eyes widened and his breathing became uneasy. He called to her again. The only answer the redhead received was the pounding of his own heart in his ears. Panic rising, he jumped down before scrambling over to her.

"No, no, no," he kept repeating. Grabbing and shaking Katy, Gaara tried to wake her. His voice trembled. "Please, Katy, wake up! Katy! Katherine, please!"

This couldn't be happening. The scarlet haired boy clutched his chest with his right hand and his head with his left. "What have I... Katherine... I..."

A snort froze the boy. Snorts turned into giggles, giggles turned into full-blown laughter.

She sat up, laughing, "You should've seen your face!"

He looked like he was about to cry.

"Hey," she added, laughter subsiding. "I was just playing' wit'chu. Don't be upset."

Her friend continued to breathe anxiously. She shifted awkwardly. "Um...hey, it's okay."

**He** pushed **her**. What was he so distressed about? Still, she needed to make him feel better. Since she really wasn't one to apologize, Kat did what she thought to be best.

She heaved a sigh before surrounding him in her arms.

It was quick, only a small hug, she hardly squeezed him. But it was a hug nonetheless, and the first one Gaara had ever received.

He was left stunned, and that perplexed Katy. It would never enter her mind that he had ever been hugged before. But when he gazed at her in the eyes and held out his arms, she at least understood he wanted another.

There they were in a pile of wheat, the pushing forgotten, with Gaara getting a **real** hug.

It was a moment he would never forget.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I noticed some mistakes in part seven I had to go back and fix. I reread this chapter to eliminate the need to edit but if there are still mistakes, please let me know.

Reviews are appreciated! ^_^

Thanks for reading.


	9. Geese 'n' Dogs

+++Part 9+++ 

Geese 'n' Dogs

Charlotte should have seen it sooner.

The woman had her suspicions before, but...she hadn't really begun to see it until recently. That little red haired boy...the way he was with her youngest, it wasn't normal and it unnerved her.

Most normal little boys would be pulling pranks on girls and running away shouting "cooties!" when one got too close.

But not this boy, not the one called Gaara. It was such a strange and foreign name. Charlotte never did get around to asking him about it. The blue-eyed woman sighed as she began pinning her hair up. Gaara...he was always around Katherine.

It really wouldn't have bothered her so much if it weren't for the event that happened just the other day. Charlotte had accompanied her husband's sister Elma, Miranda and Jennie's mom, to Lake Falls Park. The little waterfalls there always fascinated the children. Elma said she would bring her daughters, so when Katy asked if her red haired friend could come Charlotte didn't think twice about saying yes. And it was at that park where she saw the depth of the connection between them. Gaara followed, and led, Katy everywhere. They were always together.

_Well, _Charlotte thought, _there is nothing wrong with them being close._

But then she saw how...possessive he was. If Katherine ever went too far from Gaara's side, the boy would literally start freaking out.

That was when Charlotte's mind raised the first red flag. Even Elma made a comment on his odd behavior. The two women weren't sure what was being said in the group but soon Miranda and Jennie split off from the two. They went to play on the swings while Katy and Gaara stayed by the water.

_He's separated her from her usual playmates._ Charlotte shook her head. _No, no. I'm looking too hard into this. He's only a child._

Charlotte tried to keep the uneasy feeling down as the boy hugged and clung onto her daughter like some deprived addict.

"Geese, geese!" Katy shouted and pointed to a couple of the feathered creatures swimming nearby. "I want one! I want a baby goose!"

Of course, that was when Miranda and Jennie had to race over. The two mothers had picked themselves up from the bench they were sitting and headed over too. It was then Charlotte saw the avian couple's brood paddling in-between their parents.

"I want one," Katy sulked.

"You can't have one," Charlotte chided.

"...I'll get it for you," Gaara told her softly.

Charlotte was quick to cut in. "No, you will not. The mother and father would be very sad if one of their babies was taken away. They would attack you."

"Then I'll kill them." Gaara turned to the woman with such an icy stare it shocked her. He went on, his voice deadly serious, "My friend gets what she wants."

An eerie silence fell on the group. Charlotte was stunned. Elma and her daughters were the same. It was Katherine who broke the uncomfortable hush.

"I don't want one anymore," she touched her friend's hand, speaking quietly, "I wouldn't want anyone taking you away, either."

Where Charlotte found cause for alarm, Katy found tranquility. Katherine could see what her mother could not. Katy knew the reason, saw it everyday in that village, as to why he was like this. Eyes that already bore so much pain lit up as he smiled and grasped her hand.

They went home shortly afterwards. Still, even now, two days later as Charlotte worked on her hair, the way the boy behaved and his words...

_Then I'll kill them._

Those horrible words left that child's mouth. And a dreadful feeling told Charlotte that the boy had the power to back up those words.

_My friend gets what she wants._

She fought off the shiver that threatened to creep up her spine. Her husband poked his head into their room, dressed in a suit. "We're going to be late. Aren't you done with your hair yet?"

"Almost, Charles." She continued, tucking a strand of hair into place. "You might as well calm down, Loraine isn't even here yet."

Loraine, the eldest child of Charles and Charlotte. Twenty years older than Kat with a husband and child of her own.

"Sis is coming...?"

Charlotte glanced over to her doorway where little Katy was standing. "Yes. She'll be here to watch you and your brother while we're out."

"Okay." Katy blinked. "What about Mae?"

"She's bringing her."

"It's time to go, Charlotte!"

"Alright, alright! Denim!" Kat's dark haired brother leaned around the corner in response to his name. "When Loraine gets here, let her in- no funny business!"

Husband and wife dashed through the house while their children followed behind casually.

"Hold the fort, son!" Charles spoke quickly, slamming the door in the rush.

Silence ensued and swarmed around brother and sister.

"Did he just say, 'hold the fart'?" Katy inquired, mostly to herself.

But Denim heard her question and answered accordingly, "You're retarded."

Fifteen minutes hadn't passed before Loraine arrived, carrying her daughter in her arms. She froze in her tracks, not taking two steps from the door before shouting, "Why is there cat food all over the floor?"

"She threw it at me," Denim cried out.

"No," Katy corrected. "I threw a bowl at you. YOU got the cat food."

Loraine's brown orbs flashed with displeasure, twitching. "Clean it up NOW."

"I like bubbles," Katy quipped.

"NOW!"

And so the dry cat food was swept and returned in its container...because there was no way they'd waste money throwing anything away. Loraine had made sure Katy picked up the plastic bowl she chucked at her brother. Both were made to apologize, something the little brunette did not like doing- at all. She fidgeted and looked away angrily before hissing out a small "sorry".

Three-year-old Mae sat on the couch playing with her stuffed dinosaur. Why a dinosaur? None of them knew why, but Loraine's daughter loved the prehistoric creatures.

"Bubbles! Bubbles? Bubbles!"

"Katherine," Loraine barked. "Go take a bath!"

"She can't do that!" Denim interrupted. "That's the only bathroom! What if I have to poop?"

Loraine sighed in exasperation, covering her face with her hands. "Denim, just... go outside. Katy, if it'll make you stop going on about bubbles- go get some."

"Bubbles," she whispered as she made her way to the bathroom.

With the tub filled, she at last let down her guard. She felt at ease surrounded by the warm water and, of course, bubbles. She scooped up some of the white sparkly suds and smeared them on her face and head.

Meanwhile, Loraine sat in the living room finally getting some peace and quiet and a chance to finish her book. She absentmindedly pushed her toes on the floor, stirring motion in her mother's old rocking chair. Mae remained on the couch. The little dino was no longer as interesting as it was minutes ago. A clicking noise from the kitchen grabbed her attention. The noise stopped and Mae turned her head. Was it the door? Denim must have come back inside. She watched, waiting for her uncle to round the corner.

But the figure that came around the archway was not her uncle.

Pale sea-foam orbs framed in black locked onto a pair of familiar hazel brown eyes. They stared at each other curiously. His eyes asked a silent question, which Mae unknowingly answered by casting a fleeting look down the hall. Without a word, he went. Moving so soundlessly Loraine did not even look up from her book.

Katy felt as though she had forgotten something. But what was it? It was eating away at her and she could no longer enjoy the bubbly bliss. Sighing, she let herself slip down to the bottom of the bathtub, air seeping from her nose. She shot up, growling and snarling pretending to be a fierce creature of the deep. Freezing in the middle of a quirky roar, her eyes traveled to the side. He stood there, watching her antics pensively. Katy quickly came aware of the situation and hid amongst the bubble clouds. A smile slowly etched its way onto his lips.

"What are you doing, Kitty?" he asked, amusement laced in his voice.

"Uh," Katy hesitated, not sure whether he was asking about her pretend game or why she was hiding. She found herself answering nether. "Taking a bath...?"

"I see."

That simple response made Katy feel very, very awkward. "C-could you hand me those?" She pointed to her undies and undershirt. He did so with no grimace or any sign of discomfort. It was very strange, even to one as weird as Kat.

She stayed hidden as she slipped both on. They were soaked now, but this wasn't the first time Katy used her undergarments as swimsuit substitutes.

"You were supposed to meet me."

Kat turned her attention to the scarlet haired boy.

_That's right! I can't believe I forgot..._

Katherine lowered her head in shame. "I'm sorry..."

Her expression became shocked. She had just apologized. **Sincerely**. That wasn't the end of it. Within moments her friend had reached over and wrapped his arms around her. His clothes absorbed the water from her skin and became damp. He held her there, not caring about anything else.

In this embrace, Katy felt not only the acceptance of her apology but also...a need. A need for something that had been denied to this boy for far too long. And if Katy were older maybe she could have understood what it was. How could she feel the hurt emitting from him? Either the hurt was so bad it was radiating off him or Katy had gained exceptional sensing abilities in the last ten seconds. She knew it wasn't the latter; she could never know what any of her cousins were thinking or feeling.

But she did know this. Whatever was making her friend hurt...

She wanted to be the one to make it go away.

* * *

><p>Denim marched down the hallway. How dare that stupid sister of his hog the bathroom for so long! After roughly turning the knob he flung the door open.<p>

"You have been...in...here..." Denim trailed off, his mouth left hanging open.

Katy and Gaara stared back, both covered in soapy suds. Katy spurred a white goatee, her hand caught in midair trying to make Gaara look like Santa Claus. Denim's mouth opened and shut several times like he was trying to say something but was at a loss for words.

Finally he spat out, "I'm telling!"

* * *

><p>"Ha, ha, we got kicked out."<p>

Gaara looked over to his friend. "She wasn't angry, was she?"

"No, I think she was laughing."

"Me too," Mae said, coming up between them.

They had been ushered out of the house. Loraine had been surprised to see the friend Katy raved on about. However the surprise was quickly replace by a scowl. Although Loraine's true demeanor emerged with the giggle-snort fits she tried to mask with her hand.

After everything was in order, and Kat put into decent clothes, she sent them out to play. To Katy's delight, Mae wanted to come too. The young aunt and niece got along very well. It must have been because they shared an intense love for bacon. And noodles. What were they called? Her brain drew a blank and she furrowed her brow. Her brain was doing that a lot.

"Didn't your sister say to stay near the house?" Gaara asked, seeing as they were moving off into the field.

"Mmm, so...?" Kat looked back over her should to the house. It was true, Loraine had told them to stay where she could see them. But Kat didn't see any harm in going over just one hill. Curiosity hit her when see saw her brawny uncle running to the house from the barns. Shrugging it off, the girl continued on. They were already over the hill when Loraine's voice called out to them with a far-away echo.

"Ah, jeez," complained an adventure hungry Kat. Mae's grim expression showed she was in agreement with her aunt.

"She sounds afraid..." Gaara noted aloud. Katy questioned that but he assured her he knew. He had heard fear from many- had been the source of that fear. "We should go back...Katy."

She kicked the ground, letting her frustration known before conceding. "Fine, fine."

The wind carried the threat of barking dogs on its breath.

As it grew louder so did Katy's nervousness. She took off running, not stopping in spite of the call of her two companions. She kept going until the house was back in her sight. She could see her brother's dog, Lindy, tethered to a tree barking warnings furiously.

She could hear her uncle yelling, "Brandy," over and over. What was going on? Katherine did not have much time to think about it before she hit the ground. Blurred grass dominated her vision as she was dragged. Shouting was coming from all around, all slurring together in her ears. Hot pants were growled out over her and she could feel fangs graze her skin.

As suddenly as it knocked her down, it was gone; thrown off by an enraged ally. She tried to sit up, but everything swayed like a boat on the waves. Familiar arms encircled her protectively.

"You're okay," Gaara murmured apprehensively. Mae stood near, clutching her hands together. Was she really okay? He was telling her so many times, like he was trying to tell himself that too.

Mae's fear filled eyes moved over to what had ambushed her aunt. The rottwieler lay unconscious; the impact it sustained when it hit the ground knocked it out cold. Relief swept over the small dark haired girl. Their uncle and her young mother were hurrying towards them.

* * *

><p>"If you ever lose control of that dog again, I'll shoot it myself," Charlotte roared, having come in the door only moments before.<p>

Loraine moved to comfort her mother, "No one was hurt, Ma. You'll raise your blood pressure if you get so upset."

Charles' brother fumed, "What do you mean no one was hurt? My poor girl's gonna be sore for a week!"

"You should never have let a dog that size out when young children are playing nearby!"

He huffed," You just keep that red haired kid away from my Brandy." Her puzzled glare prompted him to explain. "You shoulda seen that boy. He threw Brandy near twenty feet! I couldn't believe my own eyes!"

_It can't be possible..._ Her mind raced as she hurried to Katy's room. She paused by the door, peering through the crack. He was holding her, stroking her hair. His whispers floated through the air, so soft Charlotte had to strain to hear them.

"I won't let anything touch you ever again...I'll kill all that try."

Panic escalated in the blue-eyed woman. If Katy knew of the thoughts in Charlotte's mind she would have proudly declared her friend a hero and told her mother should be grateful that her daughter had such a great comrade. But Charlotte could not be grateful, not when she couldn't suppress the fear coiling in her gut.

_I'll kill them all..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** This one turned out to be a little creepier than I had intended. But one has to think of the psychological effects on a boy that age being treated as he was treated.

Now keep in mind that I did _light_ research on how children act in a case where they are never really loved. I also only have a couple episodes for reference on who Gaara was as a child. I do try to keep him in character.

As always, reviews are appreciated. :)

Thanks for reading!


	10. Metal Bird

**A/N:** Hello. This week has been very...eventful for me. I was stung by a wasp and had a severe allergic reaction. I had to go into emergency care. I was surprised, since I have been stung by bees before...wasps on the other hand, I don't recall. Well, that's over with and I shall be looking out for wasps from here on out.

Then I had to go to the doctor for an infected puncture wound in the side of my hip. The infection had gotten worse and I had to go back to the doctor to have it cut open and drained. Not a very pleasant experience.

I am sorry this chapter is a bit late.

Jeez, what a week. -_-'

I would also like to take this time to thank my reviewers. They are the reason I'm posting this even though I'm still sick.

Thank you. Your reviews encourage me. :)

* * *

><p><span>+++Part 10+++<span>

Metal Bird

_I will stay by my friend._

Her mother was being disagreeable again. Kat could no longer stand to be in the house. And though she was forbidden from seeing him, she was not going to tolerate and do nothing.

"Why?" she had asked her mother repeatedly.

"Because I said so!"

**Again** with that infuriating response!

"It's not fair! He's my friend, my best friend! He's good!"

"That's enough! My mind isn't changing."

Kat knew if she continued a verbal protest she would surely get the belt. But that didn't stop her completely. She would not talk to her mother, not smile, laugh, or acknowledge her in any way. She would even refuse to eat if she had to! However, right now, she needed to find a way to get to him. She would wait, pretend to play in the grass, and then...when no eyes were watching her...

"I'll be sneaky, very sneaky."

* * *

><p>Heat waves boiled the desert whilst the powerful sun set the sand ablaze. All of that, however, was nothing compared to the scorching pain in his chest. The longer she was away, the more intense it became. Gaara was becoming more unstable by the day. Already, they were finding victims of his wrath scattered throughout the village.<p>

"Is she here?"

"No, I'm sorry Gaara, she's not here," his caretaker replied, sympathy dripping from each word. "Did you have a fight?"

Downcast, the boy mumbled, "No."

They hadn't had a fight at all. It was the **mother**. She wouldn't let Katy come to him. Nor would she let Gaara near Katy. She was polite when he went to their door, but she was also firm. It was excuse after excuse. Katy can't play today. Katy's sick now, come back later. He snuck to her window once and they were able to talk, if only for a little while. A screeching window being opened travels fast through a small house. At least he knew it wasn't Katy's wish.

"She's being a butt monkey! She won't even tell me why! She's bloody...she's bloody coming! Hide!"

That was the last he spoke to her. She dove for her closet and he had to get out of there. He returned later to reason with the woman but now she would not only send him away, she would watch to make sure he left. He wasn't getting near that window again.

"Maybe you should try apologizing," suggested the med nin.

He tried that. He tried pleading with that woman. He even tried subtle threats. It got him nowhere. Gaara was on his last thread. The next step was to either kidnap Katy in the night, or kill her mother.

He contemplated it.

The latter, he knew, would not go over very well with anyone. Well...

Kidnapping it was.

* * *

><p>She tossed, she turned, and she flopped around in her bed. Her "pretend to play in the grass then sneak away" plan had been ruined...and by her stupid loud mouth brother no less! She had been so close!<p>

Right when she was about to make it past the first hill and out of sight, "Hey-ey! Where does Katy think she's going? Does she think she's going somewhere?"

She gripped her pillow, frustration growing rapidly.

_Stupid Denim!_

She could hear his voice now, obnoxiously loud and mocking. He knew he was sabotaging her- he did it just to make her mad!

_Annoying jerk!_

He wasn't going to get away with it. Katy frowned, clutching a small green object in her hand. Denim wanted to see their dad's airplane.

_Dad actually said yes...and he didn't ask me if I wanted to see too!_ She narrowed her glinting eyes. _Well they can have fun trying to get in without the key! Ha, haha-_

"Kitty..."

A sharp intake of breath was all she could muster before a hand covered her mouth. He was crouched on the sill of the window. Slowly, silently he moved down onto the bed. Joyful recognition flared in her eyes as he carefully removed his hand. Though she spoke in a whisper, enthusiasm was evident in her voice.

"You opened the squeaky window without squeeeaks!"

"Shh," Gaara motioned her to be calm. "I'm kidnapping you."

Her confusion at that sentence was quickly taken over by awe. "Cool..."

Was it really kidnapping if the kidnapped thought it awesome?

* * *

><p>Spending the night up on the Kaze mansion rooftop, looking out at the expansive star-filled sky with her best friend...there was nothing like it.<p>

He sat as close to her as he possibly could. Side to side, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm. They had a lot of catching up to do. She told him the basics of what was going on in her world: Bacon is good; God is great. One look at her silly smile made the hissing pain in his chest melt away. One look in those eyes made him feel like he was flying. And one touch of her hand made him feel...like he was home.

_We're together, just you and me..._

Morning was approaching, its light beginning to brush the eastern horizon. Was it time to go? Her tired little eyes were begging to be closed. But sea-foam eyes begged to differ. They had been open far longer than those hazel brown things. She wasn't going anywhere. Katherine didn't want to be tired, didn't want to leave her friend.

"I'm staying right here!" she nodded to herself. She wouldn't make him face the day alone. But heavy eyelids screamed their objection. She shook her head violently.

"Kitty...?" She could hear his concern.

"I," she swallowed, "I need a glass of water...or something."

"...All right," he said, taking her hand and leading her down into the mansion. To her wobbly legs, it seemed like they'd walked a thousand halls. Finally, they came to a room where she could have some water. She clutched the cool cup with warm fingers, taking a few gulps in-between breaths. The sound of bare feet patting along the floor startled Katherine. It would seem she wasn't the only thirsty one around here.

_Please don't be that man..._

A blonde individual walked around the corner. But it was not Yashamaru.

_It's...her._

Although she did not have her hair in its usual style, Katy still recognized her. It hung loose, light and poofy around her head. She stopped when she saw them, stunned. Katy hid her face with the cup, warily peering over the rim. The older girl cautiously continued her way to the faucet. No words were exchanged, only glances. With her own cup filled, she took one last look at her little brother. Her stare held mistrust, his stare held nothing. Her eyes shifted to Katy for the briefest moment. Then she turned and walked away. She walked away...and left her brother's heart in the care of a stranger.

And she didn't look back.

Katherine squirmed uncomfortably, setting her water down. "I'm okay now."

His gaze softened on her. He did not mind his sister's decision one bit. Katy sighed, reaching down into the pockets of her nightgown. Her eyes widened before she pulled out a green key. Sleepiness forgotten, she turned to her friend with new anticipation.

"Wanna see an air plane?"

* * *

><p>Silent rays of sun drifted into the room, gently waking the sleeping mother. She stretched, reaching over to her husband's side. Feeling nothing but the cool sheets, she remembered Charles getting up before sunrise to attend an early men's bible study at their church. Emitting a quiet sigh, she slipped out form the covers and pulled on along silky pink robe. Charlotte admired her love's devotion, to both her and the Lord, but sometimes he worked too hard. Managing a farm was difficult and demanding. She hated the thought of him having to start that work soon after coming home from the meeting. It was her opinion that he should take at least half the day off.<p>

_It is your opinion that is keeping a lonely child from his only friend._

That statement passed through her mind in an instant. She didn't know where it came from but it stopped her breath. Why did she just think that? _No_, she thought, _he...I don't want him around my daughter!_

She brushed off that train of thinking before glancing at the clock. Charles would be home soon. She needed to get breakfast going. She didn't want him going to work on an empty stomach.

_Lonely child..._

Still...she could not shake off this feeling. She feared it would follow her throughout the entire day if she didn't get busy on something else.

Golden beams lit up the kitchen, compelling her to let in the fresh morning air. She leaned out from the newly opened window, gladly taking in the crisp dew-filled breeze. It was a perfect day. The birds sang, the cows grazed, and someone was already mowing the lawn. Wait, no... That wasn't the mower. It was louder and it sounded vaguely familiar. Charlotte tapped her chin. Where had she heard that before? Oh, yes! It was Charles' small plane.

Charlotte's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Why was it running and who started it? She hurried down the hall to check her children. Denim was fast asleep. But in the next room the bed was empty.

"Katherine!"

* * *

><p>"Turn it off," shouted the red haired boy over the roaring engine.<p>

"I'm trying!" Katherine searched the compartment frantically. She had no idea what to do. She had only wanted to show Gaara the inside because he'd never seen such a machine before. The amazement he held on his face in that moment compelled her to be bold. And boldness caused her to push a few buttons and flip a couple switches. He color drained from her face when it came alive.

"Kitty!"

"Okay, okay," she yelled back, pushing a random lever._ Please turn off!_ she plead silently.

Her pleadings did nothing, now it was **moving**. The small white aircraft crept forward out of its dwelling. Now even Gaara was getting nervous. He knew they had to make it stop. Frenetically the two pulled random levers, switches, anything that might make it stop. All their efforts only made the machine do the opposite. The propeller on the front went into full gear as the plane sped up. They were heading straight at one of the barns.

"Turn it! We're going to crash!"

The little brunette leapt at her friend's direction, taking the controls in her hands. With all her might she leaned into the flight pad. Gaara reached over and added some pull to Kat's push. Sluggishly, the aircraft changed its direction until they were going straight down the dirt road. This road lead out into the fields, but they were going to be in real trouble if they didn't find a way to turn it off before they reached the trees.

Charlotte flew down the path, her pink robe sweeping out behind her like a cape. A hastily dressed Denim followed in her steps. When they reached the barns she knew it was too late. There was no stopping it, the plane as going full speed. All the mother and son could do was watch. And watch they did; Charlotte in dismay and Denim in awe. The white aircraft swerved, and for a minute Charlotte thought it would tip over, but it leveled out. Not being able to stand it any longer, the mother ran for the truck.

"Come on, Denim! We're going after her!"

"What are we gonna do? Cut it off?"

"Whatever it takes! Get in!"

Inside, Katherine was in full panic mode. They were going to hit the trees. Scanning the dash, she saw no big red button or anything that said stop. Her father used to be in the Air Force; unfortunately he shared most his knowledge of that time with Denim. The only education Katy received about these great flying machines was from a computer game called Red Baron or something of that sort. She looked over to Gaara. He was trying to do something with his powers again. But that wouldn't do. His powers went on and off in this place and she doubted he would be able to gather enough sand in time.

If she didn't hurry they would crash. There was no time to think whether the game was the same as reality or not. Mimicking what she did with the computer joystick, she pulled back. The plane tilted up more and more until all the two friends could see was sky. She shrieked at the shuddering noise of the plane as the tips of branches scraped its belly. They careened in the air, Katy tried to stabilize it but her panic caused her to jerk the control. The plane went up then down then back up again. Gaara's training kicked in, and he forced himself to keep calm. He took her hands in his and away from the controls. Without the hands to move it around, it went still and the aircraft smoothed out.

It seemed quieter in the compartment now, the panic seeping away. Katherine remembered her dad's words.

_They basically fly themselves. You just have to give it direction and let it go._

Gaara moved over to the window, his eyes widening when he looked down. They weren't high enough to be in the clouds, but they were up enough that the truck following on the ground looked small.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Katy. "Can you get us down?"

She stared off into space, her friend's voice barely bringing her back. "I...played a game...on the computer...where I flew the plane with the joystick. An-and I always did good except..."

"Except...?" He grasped her arm, urging her to continue.

"Except when it came to landing. I would bounce it down and sometimes...it exploded."

The horror that grew on his face could not be described. Said horror doubled when Katherine started to laugh. Laugh! Here they were in this sticky situation and she was laughing her butt off! He didn't know it was more from shock than comedy. His grip on her arm tightened. Finally, she got herself together.

"Okay," she gasped, "Okay. All I have to do is turn around, push the joystick down...and we should land all right."

She clutched the controls, gently pushing down. Gaara aided her, directing her where they needed to land. They came down upon the field fast. Just like in the game, Katy pulled up on the control just before they hit the ground. Everything shook. The plane veered and started to spin.

"Get out," he shouted at her.

After opening their doors, they threw themselves out. Katherine slammed down on her side; Gaara hit the ground with his feet. With speed beyond his years, he got away. But when he looked back, Katy was still down and the machine still spun.

The truck pulled up and Charlotte did not bother to shut it off before hopping out. She ran towards her daughter screaming. She could be run over at any time. Or, heaven forbid, the propeller could chop her up.

Katherine didn't know, or rather, didn't have time to comprehend her situation. She stared blankly as the engine roared. She only heard it, the propeller coming up from behind her. She only saw it, the wheel turning from the front. But she could no longer process it. Her mind was blank.

She felt a force, a pain in her head. And she thought it had hit her...

Only when the ground moved beneath her did she realize it. Gaara had dragged her away. He grabbed her by the fist thing he could reach- her hair. He threw her forward before covering her with his own body. He held her tightly... when all the noise stopped.

Slowly, the scarlet haired boy lifted his head. Charlotte climbed down from the sky vehicle. The arctic-eyed woman gazed long and hard at the boy. He looked back, his stare hard at first but then it melted into pleading.

And she knew what he was asking.

Back at the house, the three sat at the table. Denim was sent to his room for now and Katy's father would be here any second. She bit her lip. They were in so much trouble. She had already explained everything. It was an accident. But her mother's silence was threatening to her. Charlotte sat with her hand covering her mouth. She didn't know what to make of this. But she had to say something.

Inhaling deeply, she had both children's attention. But what left her mouth was far from what either had expected.

"I realize I've been...judgmental. I wouldn't let you see each other and I gave neither of you a good reason. I thought I was right." She turned to Gaara. "I thought you were bad for Katy. I was wrong. Today I saw you risk yourself for her. I want you to know I'm sorry for keeping you away. You will always be welcomed here from now on."

Katy and Gaara shared cheerful glances. The mother knew neither of them were aware of how hard that was for her to say.

"But," Charlotte emphasized. "That doesn't mean you're off the hook for this. You two could have been killed. Katherine, your punishment... I'll come up with something."

"We won't go near the metal bird again," Gaara interceded for his friend. "We didn't mean for it to come alive."

Charlotte could not help the confusion that struck her. Metal bird?

_This child is a stranger to this land, no doubt._

* * *

><p><strong>AN****: **I wasn't very happy with this chapter for some reason. I tried to research private small planes and how they work but all I could get was info on the battle aircraft. I know it wasn't very realistic but it was inspired by the ending scene in the movie Wild America where Mark takes his dad's plane to fly. If you've seen it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Reviews are appreciated!

Thanks for reading. ^_^


	11. My Light

+++Part 11+++ 

My Light

Blood mingled with the endless desert sand, the blood soaking in and spreading as it dripped from its source. His heart stopped. He didn't mean it, he hadn't intended to...

"Bloody jerk! What'd I do to you?" shrieked Katherine, clutching her blood-spattered appendage.

"I didn't...I didn't mean to!" His voice trembled, "I'm- I'm sorry-"

"Go! Just go," she sobbed. Her right hand's vice grip was trying to stop the pain shooting through her left.

The scarlet haired boy stumbled back, devastation eating him apart. His wide eyes took in the sight of his beloved friend, down on her knees in the dust, crying. Her head hung low, brown hair draping and hiding her tear-streaked face. His pale eyes fearfully drifted to the wound...the wound HE had inflicted. It oozed crimson dirtied with grains of sand and her slim fingers were held stiff and contorted with pain.

"Go away!"

The words plunged into his heart like a knife.

She did not see his torment. She did not listen to his vanishing footsteps as he fled. She stayed where she was, unmoving, afraid one twitch would bring more blood and pain.

Silence buzzed and she finally stopped crying... but the pain still lingered strong.

"Gaara said you were out here."

She flinched at the voice, not noticing **his** approach. The man knelt down beside her.

"It's all right now, miss Katherine. Let's take a look at that injury." He carefully lifted her arm to inspect the damage. The cut crossed diagonally from the wrist to the ring finger just above the knuckle. There seemed to be more flesh ripped on the finger. It wasn't too bad of an injury, but to one as little as her it must have looked and felt very serious.

The medic stood and beckoned Katy to follow. "We'll take care of that inside. Come along."

Though hesitantly, the girl did what she was told. She saw no choice in the matter.

Katherine watched intently as a hawk while the man cleaned and bandage her hand. She jerked when the stinging astringent was applied but Yashamaru kept a firm grip and gave her a reassuring smile. As he finished wrapping the bandages, he made an attempt at conversation.

"Gaara was very upset when he came to me." Yashamaru watched her turn her head away. "He told me he had done something very bad and asked me to see to you right away."

Yashamaru remembered the boy's shaken state, and then went on. "Can you tell me what happened before he lost control?"

No response.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me now." He then added honestly, "No one would blame you for walking away."

Katy shifted uncomfortably. She kept her eyes busy scanning the room, anything to keep from making eye contact with Yashamaru. Eventually she settled on a picture, the only picture in the room. The woman in the frame smiled tenderly. Yashamaru followed Katy's stare.

"My sister...and Gaara's mother."

Katherine nearly jumped out of her seat.

_Uncle?_

She fidgeted with her white and gray skirt. She had been so cold with this man and the whole time...

She continued to pick at the ruffled hem near her knee until finally she had gathered enough courage to ask, "Wh-what happened to her?"

Sadness reflected from his dark eyes. "She died...when Gaara was born."

Katy looked down. _How awful_, she thought. Katherine had asked her friend about his invisible father but forgot to ask about his mother. She was glad she hadn't. It must hurt so...

Katy couldn't imagine life without her mother.

She brought her stare back up. The medic's gaze was still on his sister. In one instant Katy caught a flicker in his eye. She wasn't in time to see what it was... but it was dark. And it made her feel threatened. A bad feeling washed over her.

He had been nice to her, treated her wound, and yet...she still reserved distrust for him. Shame fell in her. He was her best friend's uncle. But still. She could not ignore the part of her that was screaming admonition. That part deep within her told her this man was hiding something behind that good-natured smile of his.

Something dangerous.

Hazel brown orbs disappeared behind dark lashes. This was her friend's uncle but she could not give him the benefit of the doubt. Then she remembered the situation.

_My friend...! He's hurting..._

Despite her deep breathe, her voice came out timidly. "Where is he? I want to...see him."

Surprise showed clearly on the caretaker's face. "Even after what happened?"

She nodded.

"All right then," he sighed, a small smile forming. "Come with me."

The room Yashamaru led Katherine to was dark. Toys of all kinds were scattered around, most broken and torn apart... the signs of a deeply troubled child. Said child sat on the far end of the room. The round window in front of him was the only source of light. His face was hidden in his hands, his shoulders were hunched over and shaking, and soft, incoherent mumbles could be heard traversing through the dark quarters.

She stayed at the door for a moment, trying to think of what she was going to say, before carefully tiptoeing up behind him. What was she to do, to say? The pain in her left hand still bothered her...but not as much as the hurt she felt for her friend. She had yelled at him, screamed at him...for something he did not mean to do. Katy didn't know if she felt so sorry in her life.

She motioned to forget the damage done to her left hand, pulling it behind her back, and reaching out with the undamaged one instead. The moment her fingers slid onto his shoulder he jerked his head to look over his shoulder at her. Agony filled those sea-foam orbs, spilling over and leaking down his face.

"Kitty," he whispered hoarsely. "You came back...?"

Her mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. The way he looked at her was crushing. That moist gaze captured her in its emotional twists. Relief danced with pain and hope entwined with fear. It told he was relieved she had not gone but pained that she could have and he was to blame. The hope was that she would stay- forgive him- but there was also fear that she would not and leave to never return.

Katherine could not pretend to understand, to know how much Gaara truly suffered. However, she could see that he was suffering and whether that torment was great or small she could not grasp. Still, she couldn't stand it. Her friend was suffering, and how much didn't matter. What did matter was that he **was**. And she wanted- needed to make that pain stop.

Without a word, she wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close. Then and there he knew...

She forgave him...and she cared.

With a small cry, he threw himself against her and buried his tear-stained face in her shirt. He must have been breathing harshly, and perhaps shaking some too, because Katy felt that she had to calm him. She would do so the only way she knew how. It was small and quiet, but he heard the gentle humming. Though it was a melody he had never known before, it soothed him. He breathed evenly and moved closer to his friend.

But all was not well, for the figure in the doorway stood watching the pair with anger, or perhaps sadness, filling his dark eyes. His sister's tender smile flashed before him. Gritting his teeth, he knew without a doubt he would be accepting "that" mission. Whether he truly wanted to or not, it was for the sake of the village. When the time came he would have to take what was taken away from him.

_Your most precious person..._

* * *

><p>The sun shone bright, brighter than the dark day before. Though he tried to be subtle about it, Gaara still fussed over the cut on her hand.<p>

"I'm telling you it doesn't hurt anymore," she exasperated. He searched her face for any sign she was lying. He took her hand in his, sadness overtaking his features. He ran his fingers over the bandage repeatedly. He wanted to make it better.

A gasp escaped her lips and he looked up to see her grimace.

"It does hurt!" he accused with worry.

"That's because you're **petting** it!"

Looking back down at his hands, he uttered a short, "Oh." Katy snorted but soon stared snickering. "What is it?"

"You're so silly!" she exclaimed in her fit. The redhead glanced away, heat creeping to his cheeks. "I'm silly," she went on in giggles, "We're all silly!"

He didn't know why she was laughing even harder but somehow he couldn't resist the urge to smile. Katy's laugh was strange. Gaara was sure he'd heard a mule make those sounds once. Despite its eccentricity, it was pleasurable to him to hear that laugh.

"What," he started once she calmed down, "What was that song? The one you sang to me before."

Katy blinked in confusion. Was humming considered singing?

"Uh, well... You Are My Sunshine."

"I'm your...what?"

"You know..." The brunette fidgeted. "You are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me ha-ppy when skies are grey," she sung quietly in her sweet child's voice. "You'll ne-ver know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine a-way."

His eyes seemed to get bigger with each word and his mouth dropped open more with every second. She squirmed in her spot. She knew her voice wasn't anything special but-

"You...love me?"

He caught her off guard with that. It wasn't how she was singing but what she was **saying** in the song.

"Well...yeah, I mean, you're my best friend." She glanced away perturbed, she wasn't used to this. He was supposed to know- without her having to say it. "So, obviously...yea-"

Before she could even blink she was in his arms.

"You'll never know... how much…" he broke off, instead holding her tighter to get the message across.

She received it loud and clear.

* * *

><p>The following days grew tougher for the friends, as did the heat. It was too much heat for Katy. She used it as an excuse to get her and Gaara out of the village. But that wasn't the main reason. What she really wanted was to get away from that man. He kept prodding her with questions about Gaara. Another may have seen it as an uncle's concern for his nephew but not Katherine. She didn't know what to think of the strange questions being asked. It made her uneasy. It was always, "What happened before he lost control?" or "How had Gaara been acting? Has anything unusual occurred?" It was like they were waiting for him to grow another head or mutate!<p>

And it freaked Katy out.

The little brunette let out a long sigh, remembering her surroundings. Trees and hills of green were all around, not dunes of sand. She was lying in the thick, lush grass staring up at the blue sky from under the canopy of an apple tree. The little green apples would not be ready until fall. But for now it provided good shade from the hot summer sun. Katy couldn't think of a more peaceful scene. Red poppies lined the paths and red clover blossoms decorated the fields. The birds sang and the gentle breeze rustled the grass and leaves.

Beside her, Gaara stirred before touching her arm. It seemed he always had to be touching her these days. Although slowly, she was starting to understand why: She was his only form of human contact and he was emotionally dependent solely on her. She was the one who saw him for him and not some kind of monstrous experiment.

He turned on his side to see her. Everything he had craved for, everything he had needed was right here beside him. She was so small and yet she was the only light in his dark world.

"You know what'd be nice?" she suddenly spoke up. "If we came up with some neat word to call each other."

"Like what?" When she zoned out he called her back. "Kitty?"

"Well...wait, how long have you been calling me Kitty?"

"A long time now."

"Oh," she paused. "I think I just noticed."

"…" He squinted his eyes. Sometimes he really had to wonder about her...

"Well, it's okay as long as you're the only one that does. But I was thinkin' of somethin' cool."

"Something...cool...?" He thought it was a strange expression.

"Yeah, well, no, I don't know." She stopped herself before she got too tongue-tied.

"You see, my dad's reading this book to learn another language because of our ancestors or something like that and...anyway he told me some words. There's one I really liked, it's the only one I remembered."

Gaara listened intently, he always did. She could tell he was without even looking at him.

"You are..." she smiled shyly, "my Geliebt."

"Ge...lieb...t," he tried the foreign word on his tongue.

"Mmm-hmm! It means beloved...o-or most precious friend. Do you like it?"

Though the word really only meant beloved, Katy wanted to make it special and added the last part. And it was true. That's what he was to her.

"Hello? What do... you...think..." The intensity of his stare slowed her speech. He lifted his hand, tenderly brushing her cheek with the back of his knuckles.

"My Geliebt," he whispered, mesmerized.

_My friend, my beloved, my light, my world._

_My everything._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** How is it? I was a little happier with this chapter. But it would be nice to hear your thoughts.

By the way, I looked up that word in an actual English to German dictionary. It is pronounced, "Ge-Leeb-Tay."

At least that's what Google Translate and the dictionary told me. Don't hate me if it isn't 100% correct.

Reviews are always loved and appreciated. :3

Thanks for reading!

**:EDIT:** Google Translate is a liar. It told me Geliebte meant beloved- it does not. Irrwisch (reviewer) corrected me. Adding or taking away one little "E" makes a big difference. It has been fixed.

Thank you for the correction, Irrwish.


	12. Lost

**A/N: **Google Translate **lied** to me. Geliebte means something entirely different- something I don't like. It has been corrected in the last chapter. Geliebt (Ge-Leebt) means beloved. One "E" makes a big difference. ^_^'

Thank you, Irrwish, for the correction.

Apparently it was in the German-English dictionary but I completely overlooked it. The book wasn't very clear on the difference either.

My apologies.

* * *

><p><span>+++Part 12+++<span>

Lost

"They come outside the wall through here."

The second tracker added, "Then the trail ends at those sandstone boulders."

"Find anything?"

"Just a cactus, sir." The third adjusted his headband.

The man squinted into the distance. It didn't make any sense. He heaved a sigh.

"…Sir? Don't we **want** him gone?" The junior ninja fidgeted nervously. "I mean, they did confirm he's a danger to the village now."

"Perhaps we should count this as a blessing," chimed in the third tracker nin.

The squad leader glared. "These are our orders. We will not report back in failure again!"

The underlings flinched. The trail went cold at the boulders. What else were they supposed to do? They couldn't follow a trail that wasn't there.

The ninjas continued to search the area, completely overlooking the lone cactus that stood off to the side inconspicuously. It had grown more thorns since the spring season of Katy's realm, allowing only little fingers to touch it. The winds had blown away the small footprints of the children.

They would report their failure. Again.

* * *

><p>"No, no, no! That's not what I meant!"<p>

He was confused. She was frustrated.

She knew the answer to his question; she knew it well. She just couldn't find the words to explain it. The open book in front of them wasn't doing much to help either. Its words and sentences were long and complicated. In fact, Katy didn't know if there was anything in that book that **wasn't** complicated.

"What are you doing?" Denim appeared behind the pair.

"Trying to read the manual of LIFE! What does it look like?"

"...That's the Bible."

"That's what I said!" Katy smacked the table.

Gaara was busy looking between her and the book, uncertainty written all over his face. Katy was trying to answer his question but she was beginning to get too riled up over it.

"Now leave us," she said, swatting away at her brother. The cut on her left hand had healed, leaving behind a light scar. If one were to tilt their head and squint, it may seem to resemble a shooting star. She told her parents she had fallen and skidded across some rocks down by the creek bank. She didn't like to fib, but there was no way she was going to rat Gaara out. Besides she did not want her mother interfering with their friendship again.

Denim shrugged, leaving the room.

"Okay," Katy sighed, "Let's try this again. Love is..." She was about to slam her head down on the desk. The answer was right there in front of her! Her mother had shown her the page. But with the way it was written one would have to be a high level reader to comprehend it. Katy was only a beginner being home schooled by her mom, who wasn't the most patient person in the world.

Charlotte would quickly grow annoyed with her daughter. Katy would become distracted by her wondering thoughts or simply not understand. This was especially true for math. The little brunette just had no affinity for numbers. She could clearly recall the time she was left in tears when she could not solve the seemingly easy equation before her.

Her mother's voice got louder and louder. "It's not hard! Pay attention! Use your fingers to count if you must!" Katy's tears turned to anger shortly after. Mother and daughter butted heads often during those times.

Katy returned her attention back to Gaara. She wondered if he had any similar problems with his father during the "training sessions", as they were called. She forced herself to take a deep breath. She was being impatient, like her mother. Well she wasn't going to be that way with her best friend, no way!

"Geliebt," she murmured, "I'm sort'a an angry person. I mean, I'm sorry I'm... Uh, do you want a hug?" she finished awkwardly.

She was met with a gentle smile and open arms. One quick hug later, she continued her explanation.

"Okay, love is..." She lowered herself closer to the page in a vain attempt to understand it. She was only able to read one sentence. "It's...kind. All right, awesome. There you have it."

But the scarlet haired boy was not satisfied. He leaned over, pulling the book to him. Katy saw his eyes scan the words as he effortlessly read the entire passage. He was undeniably on a higher level than her. It made her feel somewhat ashamed. Was her friend really that smart, or was she really that stupid? She chose to believe the former and be happy for him. She should have let him read it from the start rather than fuss over it.

She turned her eyes from the book to Gaara. Did he understand it? He frowned and knotted his brow but then relaxed a little, like he was getting some of it but not all. Finally he leaned back, staring off in thought. Katy waited on the edge of her seat. Did he know the definition of it now? And more importantly, did he know from her words and actions that he was loved? Because no matter what **they** said, he was loved.

"If I do not have love," he spoke at last and Katy held her breath. "Then I am nothing."

What? That wasn't what she wanted him to get out of that!

"Well," she swallowed. "I...th-that's true for everyone. But...you- you don't have to worry because you are loved. 'Love an-and be loved,' that's what my Grandma always said. And you're...loved!" Katy stuttered on and off, she was never good at things like this. But it had to be said.

He looked at her for what seemed like forever. And she could only guess what his eyes were trying to communicate to her. The shock told her he was going to have to be reminded often. But that glimmer of happiness made her glad to be the one with that job.

_Thank you._

* * *

><p><em>Love suffers long. Love is kind. It does not envy and it is not arrogant. Love is not rude, does not seek its own, is not provoked, and thinks no evil.<em>

_Love rejoices in truth, not iniquity. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things._

_Love never fails._

* * *

><p>Back to the desert and back to the cold, hateful stares of its people. Katy didn't like it but when Gaara came over that day he insisted she spend the night over at his "house" for a change. He pulled her along, eager to extend the hospitality she had given to him. "My home is your home," she had said to him and now he was going to return the favor. Katy tried not to drag her feet.<p>

_Just focus on your friend, forget about the others, you are here for your friend_. She kept on telling herself this; she didn't want to pull down his high spirits.

As soon as they arrived at the mansion Gaara showed her where she'd be sleeping (if he let her sleep) in his room. Afterwards they played random games and when someone entered the scenario Katy would tense up and scoot closer to Gaara, all as usual. Things were getting too usual. So she said, "Let's go outside" in hopes that they could find something else to do.

People cleared off the streets and shut their doors while others retreated into shops or small groups. Occasionally hate or fear filled stares would be cast their way. Or his way...but Katy liked to think they were in this together.

The two played at the swings before playing variant versions of tag. Hide 'n' Seek wasn't working too well as there were no trees or bushes to hide in. Finally, when the sun neared the horizon, Katy got an idea.

"Let's go 'xplore the sand dunes!"

He frowned. "Those are outside the village."

"So? It'll be fun!" She tugged on his arm but he did not budge. "What's wrong?"

"It's too dangerous."

Now she really wanted to go.

"Oh, come on! We won't go far." Still he wouldn't move. "Ple-ease!"

"No."

"But..." She deflated, sulking. He wavered; he didn't want to disappoint her.

"I..." He sighed, "All right."

Her hazel brown eyes lit up instantly. "Yeah! Les go!"

"Kitty!" He ran after her. "Stay near me!"

* * *

><p>The sun disappeared to let the stars shine. They glittered in their full glory, as they did not have to share the sky with the new moon. Katy leaped up the steepest sand dune she could find. The scarlet haired boy remained close; frequently checking behind him to make sure the village walls remained in sight. Straying too far into the desert spelt disaster.<p>

"Look, Geliebt!" He joined her as she raised her hands to the dark blue above. "We can touch the sky!"

Together they reached for the brightest star. Katy would remember this moment, definitely. The two went falling back into the sand laughing before tranquil silence took over.

"Kitty, when we get back will you sing that song again?" He had asked her that question many times before and she always complied. Though she didn't know why he liked it so, whether it was her quiet voice he wanted to hear or if it was the words contained in it.

Perhaps it was both.

"When we get back," she replied.

That sentence woke him from his trance and he quickly sat up. "We should be going back."

Katy let out a small "aww" but followed his order nonetheless. As she pushed herself up she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a huge dark could in the distance, covering the horizon.

"What's that?"

When she looked to Gaara for an answer she became frightened. Not of him but of what his expression told. He looked almost nervous: eyes widened and mouth held in a tight firm line. And when Gaara was nervous, everyone should be scared. Katy knew something big was happening.

"We have to go. Now."

"What's going on?"

"Now!"

He pushed her onward; she had no choice but to go with him. She ran just behind him, however curiosity overcame her and she slowed down considerably to look back at the giant cloud. When she returned her sights forward...the one she was following was no longer there.

The little brunette squeaked out his name before glancing back at the cloud. It was getting bigger, closer, and the growing roar of the wind was behind it. Her feet became rooted to the spot, shock consuming her. Breathing became harder and her heart hammered in her chest. When she finally found herself free of her body's frozen state, she took the chance to bolt in the direction she thought the village to be, all the while breathlessly trying to call for the redhead. It was like one of those dreams where you could not scream and no matter how fast you ran... it wasn't fast enough. She ran blindly and at one point she even stopped and turned in circles in her panic. She was unable to remain calm; her friend, her rock, her pillar, was gone.

Too late.

She curled over into a ball and she quickly found herself lost in the sand, the rampant storm of the small grains enveloped her. She screamed as loud as she could.

But her cries were lost in the wind...

* * *

><p>He speeded to the walls. He knew she was just behind him, he had felt her hand graze his only a short time ago. Through the tunnel, into the village, and to the mansion, he didn't slow down until he was at the doors.<p>

"We made it. We made it in time...Kitty?"

She was not there.

"Kitty?" She was not there at all. "Katherine?"

"Gaara!"

"Yashamaru!"

"Quickly, Gaara, get inside! There's a big sand storm coming!"

"But...Katherine!"

The medic nin pulled his nephew indoors. "I'm sure she found shelter in one of the shops, she'll be fi-"

"No! We went outside the village!"

He stopped. That little girl was outside the protection of the walls?

"Didn't she follow you back?"

"I...I don't know."

Yashamaru shut the door. If she was still out there...

"I'm sorry, you must remain inside," he said solemnly.

Horror splayed across the six-year-old's face.

_"Kitty..."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I have found no better definition of love than where I have cited it. The dictionary does not go into it as nearly as much as the Bible does. I found it to be the best example. In case you are wondering, I believe it is in 1 Corinthians, 13:14.

I had to simplify it in here though; it would take up too much space otherwise.

If you are offended by my usage of it, please be kind and hit the back button on your browser. _No one is going to be converted_, but Katy's background demands this. I based her off Laura and Mary Ingalls, and even Nellie Oleson from Little House.

Don't shoot me! O_O

They have many negative and positive qualities that I incorporated into Katy. One of those qualities is that both girls (not counting Oleson right now) were taught to be kind and compassionate by their mother…who is a strong believer.

Well, if I haven't scared you off, I hope you are looking forward to the next chapter!

Sorry about the cliffhanger.

Reviews are always loved (I like reading what you have to say).

Thanks for reading!


	13. Sea

+++Part 13+++ 

Sea

The wind howled and shrieked, drowning out any and all other cries. The small girl was racked and beaten as sand blew all around her. The infinitesimal grains swarmed and stung her skin like a million wasps. Her tiny body could not take it and she screamed louder than a train's screeching brakes.

It still did not rise above the wind.

The storm would not allow her to see or hear anything but the storm itself. She wondered what would happen to her. Would she be buried alive? It seemed very likely to happen, like the whole desert was going to swallow her.

It was then she was stuck with a sense of anguish, regret. Never again would she be bounding through the fields of her family's farm. She would miss her mother, father, and yes, even her brother. Her whole family was getting farther and farther away and she reached out as if trying to pull them back. But all her hands felt was the biting air and sand. She threw herself back into the dust, another sob escaping as the scarlet haired boy flashed through her mind's eye. Where was he- did he get away? Would he make it on without her? Part of her didn't want him to go on without her; to leave her behind and forget her. But another side of her just wanted him to be all right. That was the unselfish side, and the side she would yield to.

The storm picked up and the girl was at least determined to emit a final cry of defiance before being over taken.

But that final cry never came.

The wind ceased and the sand plummeted to the ground. Shock and confusion flourished through her. Standing, she shook sand off and wiped at her burning eyes. What was that sound? Still being unable to see, she as forced to rely on her ears to decipher what it was. It was a trickling noise, like the sound of a small stream. And there was another noise...a dull wind exhaling and inhaling.

Something was breathing, something big.

At last her vision came into focus. Immediately she saw light. It was beautiful and gentle like the moon. But the new moon could not be seen. What was this light that took on the form of a blue moon? It was so close, yet at the same time it felt... so far. Katherine eased nearer to it. It swished and whirled like a pool in response. Inching ever closer, Katy squinted and strained to see inside. She nearly jumped out of her skin. What appeared to be eyes- eyes like she had never seen- looked straight back at her. Katy's mouth fell open. The two moon-like eyes were encircled by a midnight blue and they peered at Katy from inside the light attentively.

There were strange eyes, it was breathing, and Katy didn't know what it was. Fear crept into her being and she fell back on her hands. She attempted to shout but her voice became trapped in her throat. Before she could think to run, the light had surrounded her. Scarcely did she feel it through her petrified trance, soft and fluid. Her legs felt like they were cutting through water as she kicked and squirmed. The light went as it had come, suddenly and without warning, and she no longer felt herself swimming in its coolness.

She was by herself again on the dark dunes of the desert. Dazed, she stumbled in circles. The little brunette had no idea what just happened or what she had hallucinated. The storm was gone just like that too, and she let out a shaky sigh.

"I need to," she whimpered, "to go back."

Whispers echoed behind her, causing her to spin around rapidly. There was no one there. Not that she could see. She wrapped her arms around her frame, trying to suppress a shiver and she realized how cold she was. But what she spotted next froze her to the core.

It was a trail... a trail of wet sand. Hazel brown eyes followed it to see that it was growing. Water appeared to be splattering a path through the sand, almost like someone was there, sloshing and spilling the liquid from an open container.

Horror and, strangely, fascination spread in Katy. Without any other thoughts, she followed it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hear my silent prayer<strong>_

_**Heed my quiet call**_

_**When the dark and blue surround you**_

_**Step into my sigh**_

_**Look inside the light**_

_**You will know that I have **_

_**Found you...**_

* * *

><p>The drips of water stopped at the hidden tunnel entrance to the village. Katherine's five-year-old brain grew weary of trying to figure out how it got there or where it disappeared to and moved on to other things instead.<p>

Like Gaara.

He had left her behind. The more her mind churned on it the angrier Katy became. Did he even try to go back for her?

_He ditched you, he ditched you!_ her mind chanted.

Boney fingers curled into fists. He was going to get it! How dare he leave her out there! Never mind the fact it was her idea to go outside the protection of the village walls against his stern warnings that it was dangerous. And forget the fact that he told her not to look back, but to stay with him. No! Right now, she was yielding to her dark side.

_He ditched me! He did it on purpose; he was trying to get **rid** of me!_ she told herself presumptuously.

_Maybe you should just be glad you're both all right- that **he's** all right,_ the other side of her said.

She slowed her stomping pace.

"Fine," she whispered to herself. She wouldn't go in raging mad, but that didn't mean she was letting him off either!

When she got to the doors of the Kaze building she kicked them, pushing them open. As she heatedly pressed through the halls she was hit with a twang of shame. Did she really have a right to come bulldozing in here? Snorting, Katy shoved the thought to the back of her mind.

Even the sight of Yashamaru, coming towards her, after trying to console an inconsolable boy, was not enough to make her let go of her bitterness.

She glared up at his shocked face, forsaking any fear in her heart (for now) and let the rage fester just below the surface.

"Miss Katherine...?" The medic nin could not believe his eyes.

Katy must have been a real sight to him. Her hair was tangled and matted from being whipped around by the wind and sand still clung to her, especially her tear-streaked face. Her nose and lips were bloodied and much of her skin was red with aggravation.

And for some reason, she was making a weird hissing-cat sound...

* * *

><p>Katy glared at everything as she sat still, immersed in her thoughts and bubbling emotions. Even as Yashamaru treated the abrasions of her skin she sternly stared at the wall like a stone. Afterwards, the medic nin placed the little brunette into a bathroom. She didn't move, instead she seethed quietly in the tub with grime and sand stuck all over her clothes and body.<p>

"Wash up in here and I'll get some ointment for those cuts," said the blonde man.

Aside from getting the medicine, Yashamaru really needed to inform his nephew of the girl's safety. Things were probably in shambles now, for when he left him, the anguished boy was destroying everything in his reach. Splintered wood and sand littered the floor. And the distraught redhead was not done with his rampage; he flipped furniture and broke pottery. It did not stop until Yashamaru said the name of his beloved companion.

All destruction ceased and his full attention was on his uncle.

"She's all right. She's in the bath right now, so just wait... Gaara!" The medic nin called after him as he swept past him, rushing to the source of hushed water.

Katy did not expect anyone to be bombarding through the door. She didn't foresee anyone hopping in the tub with her either. If she had seen that, then she definitely would've kept her dress, or at least her undergarments, on. It certainly would have made the hug she was getting less awkward.

"You...! You left me!" she snapped indignantly, pushing aside the embarrassment of how close he was.

He mumbled into her hair, "I'm sorry, I thought you were behind me... I won't let you go." He nuzzled into the crook of her neck. "Never again, I won't let you go!"

"I..." She tried in vain to hold onto her anger, but it vanished, replaced by a stunned shame. "It's...I... Uh, okay."

A good ten minutes passed before she asked, "You are going to let go of the hug though, right?"

She could feel he was smiling now.

"Y-your clothes are all wet. You...**do** know I'm naked, right? Hello?" His hold on her tightened when she tried to pry out of his arms. "Can't...breathe!"

Finally he released her, scooting to the other side of the tub. He stayed, not making any move to give Katy her privacy. She pulled her arms around herself. His stare was intense.

"It hurts...doesn't it?" he stated more than questioned. Sadness reflected from him.

"I-I'm fine. It'll get better. Um, look. I'm happy to see you but...I'm naked."

"Yes, I know," he replied simply like it was the most natural thing in the world. Didn't it bother him at all?

Katy sighed, _I guess not._

But then... her eyes bugged with alarm. His stare was moving down, down, and stopped on a place where it should not have ever glimpsed. A hint of curiosity flickered in his neutral gaze. Her mouth nearly dropped to the bottom of the tub. There were no bubbles to hide in this time.

"I- I- I **never**! Nyaaaah!"

That was all he heard before a wave of warm water hit his face.

* * *

><p>Large hills of water rolled ominously in the distance. The dark sea could scarcely be told apart from the stormy sky, excluding when moments of flashing lighting revealed the line between them. Water hissed as it rushed up the shore, stretching out to pull in anything within its grasp. The white of the waves blazed out in defiance of the darkness. The scarlet haired boy could feel its power as it thundered ashore, almost as loud as the thunder itself.<p>

And it frightened him.

Katy, on the other hand, was jumping up and down in excitement at his side. "This is gonna be great! I can't wait until morning so we can swim!"

Oh, he could wait.

The night did not do well to introduce him to the sea. Katherine's mother called them back to the beach house and he was all too relieved to get inside and away from the looming ocean.

A few days after Katy spent the night (and got caught in the sand storm), she invited him to go with her family to her maternal uncle's house on the beach. He did not remember Charlotte's younger brother's name, but only that he was a widower with a son and a daughter older than he and Kat. More cousins of Katherine.

_How many cousins does she have?_ he wondered to himself.

As Katy recited, "We're going swimmin' in the o-cean" he recalled how he'd left his own uncle.

"I'm spending the night with Kitty." And then he was out the door. The blonde medic blinked in bafflement. Gaara never even waited for a response. But Yashamaru let him go. If it made the boy more stable then he would allow it.

They arrived late tonight and would be spending most of the day on the beach before they went back to the farm in the evening. He should be home in the desert before dark.

So later that night he snuck in from his sleeping quarters and curled up with Katy when everyone else was asleep, trying to coax her into getting some shut eye too. He knew how she became when sleep deprived. He'd seen it many times, and it was mostly because of him. She would stay up with him and sooner or later she'd start acting like she was high on sugar cane.

She kept wiggling and squirming, wanting to go look outside at the ocean "one more time" before settling down. He'd heard it a dozen times already. He wasn't letting her up again. And finally she was still and asleep.

He would keep her safe through the storm-ridden night.

* * *

><p>Daybreak awoke over a calmed sea. His eyes were already open, of course. But Katy's were closed in deep sleep. Someone was moving about in the next room, he could hear them. He did not wait to see who it might be, for whomever it was would be surprised to find him lying next to Katherine. Especially if it was Charlotte. Not wanting to face the wrath of the mother hen, he gingerly climbed out of the covers. Peering out the window, he saw a tranquil sea glittering with the rising sun, very different from the raging sea of the night before. The shuffle of sheets brought his attention away from the great blue.<p>

"Kitty?" He re-approached the still form. "Are you awake?"

What could be mistaken for the groan of a dying goat responded. The redhead couldn't help the upward tilt of his lips. His friend made such peculiar noises sometimes.

"Katherine," her mother shouted from the kitchen. "We're going to the beach soon! Wake up!"

The girl shot up, twitching. "Beeeach," she moaned in a zombie-like fashion.

She was in a sleepy daze getting her clothes on but by breakfast she was alert and growing impatient. She didn't even go to get her swimsuit before rushing out to the shore with the redhead hot on her heels.

The gentle blue horizon of the ocean almost blended in with the clear sky. The sand was warm- a bit hot- and soft on her feet, even more so when she got to the water where it was wet and felt like squishy clay.

"What'cha doin' back there?" she asked over her shoulder.

He remained on dry sand just out of the waters reach. The white waves whispered up the shore and he glanced down at them before replacing Katy in his sights. Further out behind her, larger waves crashed in and pushed ahead to the shoreline. He gave her a hesitant smile, stretching out his arms. He wanted her to come to him. Katy sighed but nevertheless made her way back to him, a wave pushing her forward.

"Let's not go in the water yet," he said as he pulled her close.

"O-kay," she conceded, clearly disappointed.

_You call for me; I'm pulled from the sea.  
>But I come to you of my own free will,<br>Like the waves come to the shore of sand.  
>If it is my choice, I'll rush up the coast,<br>And take your hand._

The rest of the family came out and Mae joined the pair. The dark haired girl and Gaara regarded each other silently.

"So...wanna make a sand castle?" Kat spoke.

Mae's eyes brightened and she nodded. "Sure!"

Off away from the main group, the trio built quite an impressive structure. Kat kept trying to make a moat around it but it never seemed to fill, the sand just drank up the water she put in. Mae was adding some fancy design and Gaara was doing most of the construction...among other things when he could get away with it. Despite her young age, Mae was sharp and quick to notice when sand moved on its own.

The sun rose higher and Mae's mother summoned her to reapply sunscreen.

"I already put a bunch on," Kat sniffed as Mae trudged back to her ma.

Gaara's eyes scanned the pale skin of her forearms, already tinting pink. "Are you sure?"

"It's water time, Geliebt." She stood up and he stifled a sigh.

Mae looked back to see her aunt leaping towards the water with the redhead reluctantly following.

Katy faced him from the sea and held out her arms. 'Come on! What's the matter?"

"I..." He halted, unsure.

Katy tilted her head. She did not understand why her friend was not joyously leaping into the ocean with her. Did it really make him nervous? But why...? She had to have him with her; she could not enjoy it alone.

"Geliebt," she called softly. She continued as he quickly focused on her.

"We are like the sand and sea...one family under the sun, okay? We won't drown, the ocean is happy today. We'll stay close, okay?" She didn't know how the words came or where she got them. But she needed to say them.

The boy's eyes widened as he advanced forward. The waves touched him now, reaching out and pulling him towards her.

_Now I reach out and pull you to me.  
>Do you realize you are already here within my heart?<br>Surrounding me in the deep, holding me together.  
>The sand beneath the sea, around the sea; we're not meant to be apart.<br>We'll be friends forever._

"I- I want you to see," she fumbled in trying to find the right words but struggled on, "that I'm here. But if we're going to stay together…yah gotta come out here too!"

_Through tears of pain, tears of joy..._

He ran in to her, no longer hesitant. The two companions held each other, waves pushing and pulling them together.

_One thing nothing can destroy..._

The sand and sea remain entwined. When it seemed everything has come undone, they would be by each other's side, holding the other together.

_Is our tie deep inside, we are one..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Things might seem a little confusing here. What was that thing in the desert Katy saw? Don't fret; things will be answered later in the story.

As for the bathtub bit... What can I say? I like writing awkward scenes.

The segments of italics are my attempt at some poetry. It is what I had in mind when I made the title for this story.

Reviews are loved and treasured.

Thanks for reading!


	14. Fall

**A/N: **I had intended to update this sooner. My connection to the Internet went down due to weather conditions. I only recently got it back, so I better post this while I have the chance.

* * *

><p><span>+++Part 14+++<span>

Fall

Cries of pain engulfed her ears as she clung to her protector.

When Gaara said he'd kill all that tried to hurt her, to take her away, he'd meant it. The unknown ninja lay motionless on the ground in a crimson splattered heap. Katherine was terrified. The body was shrouded in death. She did not want to face it; her young mind was not trained to handle this. She had to make it- imagine it- into something else.

"Is...is it jelly? It's...it's just strawberry jam, r- right?"

"Yes," he replied calmly.

Death and blood did not faze him in the slightest. He had seen it, caused it, for as far back as he could remember. However, he realized Katy was not regularly, if ever, exposed to this. So he played along in her denial. Somehow it made things better.

He stroked her hair, glaring out into the dark village. "Keep your eyes on me, Kitty- and stay near me. I won't let them have you..."

* * *

><p>"We have to do something about Shukaku," roared an angry council member.<p>

"We are still losing shinobi and citizens alike- how long do you intend to let this go on?"

"What have we learned from studying him?" chimed in another. "What of the girl?"

The Forth cast a sidelong glare to the man seated at his right. "Yashamaru...?"

The medic responded accordingly. "From what I have observed, she keeps him stable, for the most part. But it is when she is absent or endangered that he loses control. However, in all this time she has been hurt only once by the sand."

"And what does that tell us?" barked the same odious advisor. "Can it be controlled or not?"

"Our village's standing forces are diminishing! If we can't use Shukaku, our trump card, then what use is the jinchuuriki?"

"Yashamaru," the Kage called as the meeting neared to an end. "We need to talk later."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p>He didn't understand why she'd brought it. It wasn't going to grow here. The tiny sapling- or whatever it was- would not thrive in this heat. But she wanted to try anyway.<p>

"Where do you want to put it?" he asked.

It would not hurt to try.

The little brunette decided to plant it close to the wall where the hidden tunnel was. Though not too close- they did not want the location of their secret o be revealed. Katy plopped the clump of soil and roots into an easily dug hole in the shifting grains. After patting it in snugly, she took out a small bottle of water and carefully poured it over the tiny plant.

The scarlet haired boy looked on in doubt. Did she really think it would survive? The dry heat of the desert would surely make a quick end to it.

During the late evening, the two returned inside to his room.

"Ah, jeez," she sighed during another game of tic-tac-toe. "I have to...tinkle." As she rose, so did he.

_Not again_, she thought.

"Don't follow me this time!"

"But..." He looked torn.

Katy sniffed. "There are some things I need to do by myself! Just stay here, I'll be right back."

Reluctantly, he nodded and let her go.

As of the last attack on them, Gaara had become increasingly more protective...and possessive. He was totally convinced someone, somewhere, somehow, was trying to take her away. The result was him attempting to stay as near as possible to her at all times, whenever he could get away with it. The closer she was to him the easier it was to guard her.

Katy's mother had not helped. She recalled when they went along to the store with her. Katy had already built a reputation for wandering off in stores. So to deter her daughter from doing so, Charlotte went to scare her by saying someone could very well steal her if she went off on her own. Charlotte did not succeed in scaring Katy like she wanted.

But she had, however, succeeded in scaring Gaara.

He went so far as to follow Katy into the ladies' room and, only at the girl's insistence, waited outside the stall, glowering at anyone who came near.

Thankfully, not a lot of women were using the restroom that day.

It was more than a little embarrassing to her even though she didn't admit it to him. But she also knew why he was doing it.

He didn't want her to go away.

After washing and drying her hands, she made her way back through the halls to his room.

He needed her, wanted her- his friend. And now...she was the same.

She needed him too...

"We need to speed this up. I see how much the girl means to him."

Katy stopped her steps and train of thinking. Who was that talking?

"I want her to be the sole target of the next test. If Gaara keeps her from death then I shall postpone from having him **dealt **with."

Katherine reeled and terror took her in its iron grip. In some way her young mind understood what was being said and yet, at the same time, didn't.

"Are you sure, sir?"

Her mouth dropped- she knew that voice!

"See if you can find a willing shinobi to carry out the task. I will need you for the final test if this does not go well."

"...Understood."

The medic paused, looking over at the corner of the hall. "Miss Katherine?"

She hadn't realized how loud her panicked gasps had become. The blonde man walked to her with pity written on his face. "Miss Katherine..."

The Kage was looking over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. Had he known she was there, but spoke the words anyway?

Yashamaru reached for her, speaking comforting words that she could not process. She shook her head, willing it all to go away. When it didn't, she bolted. Down the halls, out the doors, and through the street. She ran until it hurt before falling to her knees, tears welling up and spilling over.

Peering down through blurred vision, she caught sight of the little sapling- wilted. Jadedly, she crawled over to it and wilted with it, arching over it and letting the rain from her eyes fall. The poor thing drank up the wetness like it had not had water in days instead of mere hours.

What she had heard back there... she didn't want it to be real, she wanted to will it away- turn it into something else- for both her sake and that of her friend's.

But it was real, and there was no denying that.

It horrified her; it confused her. Who would do such things...and to a child no less!

She wiped at her face, frustration tearing from her throat in a hiss. She had to go back for him...

Like the waves of the sea always came back for the sand.

Sniffing, she saw something wrong. How could things possibly get worse? The tears on her hand were not as they should be. Unlike the clear wetness she was used to...there was a strange blue-like tint mixed in. And that shade reminded her of...

_It's like that light._

She nearly jumped from her skin. Whispers echoed behind her. Stumbling to stand, she frantically searched the area with her eyes.

_There's no one here..._

Suddenly the air and her body went from cold to freezing. The whispers came again, louder now. Katy shuddered violently. Unbeknownst to her, the little sapling was creeping back up from its withered state and was slowly climbing up to the sky. Katy spun around, eyes widened in disbelief. But what she saw next had her on the ground, scrambling backwards to get away. It was glowing, a mist of some sort.

And it was moving.

It shushed towards the tree and disappeared into its still growing trunk. As the minutes passed, her shaking subsided. The tree still grew, its branches reaching up and then bowing down to extend to the ground. Little buds turned into turquoise leaves in a matter of minutes. Finally it stopped. It was tall now, its trunk wide. It went from a tiny sapling to a medium sized tree in what seemed to be mere moments. The brunette gaped up at it in wonder. How did that just happen? The thin braches and leaves draped all around her, rustling lightly in the night wind.

She tried to stand and found that she was very shaky on her feet and ended up sitting back down. She was vaguely aware of sucking in a gulp of air when it reappeared, seeping out of the bark. The laminating vapor shifted and swirled.

It was taking on a form.

Katy's teeth clattered as her heart throbbed wildly in terror. It was taking on multiple shapes, as if trying them out, then settled on the form of a doe- a female deer. Its eyes locked onto her, the familiar blue moons circled by navy stared intensely. They were the same eyes that peered out at her from the light that had cut through the desert storm. And, supposedly, the same thing that led her back to the village with drips of water.

Katherine realized just then that she could see past it, the body was like a hazy cerulean fog. But the eyes... She could not see past those unblinking, unmoving eyes.

Her scream filled the night and broke her free from her frozen shock.

The girl ran...and the cerulean light gave chase.

* * *

><p>Gaara had gone to find her. No one took that long in the bathroom, even if they were taking a bath! When he came across Yashamaru and asked if he'd seen her, the medic only gave a sad stare in response. The boy's pale eyes widened, that was not a good sign. He rushed back to the room; maybe she'd be there! Yes, she had returned and was waiting for him now. He opened and slammed the door quickly.<p>

"Kitty...!" He stopped, petrified and alone in the empty room.

_She's gone..._

"No," his voice cracked. "No!"

He turned just as the door swung open again. His shaken friend stumbled into the room, huffing. He hurried over to her, catching her mid-fall.

"I...it..." she tried to verbalize.

He touched her tear-stringed cheek. "What happened? What did they do?" His teeth grit together, bitter and feral rage taking hold.

"I'll kill them," he hissed, "I swear I'll kill them!"

"N- no," whimpered Katy. "It was..."

"What? It was what?"

She gulped. "I think Bambi's mom is haunting me..."

Gaara's expression had turned from one of agonized concern to...more agonized concern. Did she hit her head? Slowly, he reached up to feel her forehead. He heard his uncle say people act odd when they are sick.

She produced a stubborn pout at his gesture. Grabbing his hand, she led the way to the tree.

The redhead showed the same reaction to the tree as Katy did. The pair gawked up at it.

Still gaping in awe, he questioned, "Its branches are bent down, why?"

"Um... I think it's a weeping...pillow?" The five-year-old searched for the correct term. "Willow. Yep, it's a weeping willow. I don't see a lot of 'em around the farm- I mean, Haven- I didn't know when I picked it."

"I like it."

Katy relaxed at the flow of the boy's soft voice. "...Me too."

His brow wrinkled in thought. "Where did Bambi's mom go?"

"Oh," She tensed up again. "She- she ran into me and disappeared. Again."

"What?"

Katy only shrugged in reply. Then the willow jolted her memory...of why she had been out here in the first place.

"We have to go! To Haven!"

"Why?"

"I'll- I'll tell you later. Le's go!"

She grasped his arm and took him away...from them.

* * *

><p>Katherine did her best to explain to Gaara what she had discovered in the conversation she overheard. However, her limited vocabulary made it very difficult.<p>

Exasperated, she gasped out, "I think your uncle's evil!"

"What are you talking about?" He narrowed his eyes and for a split second she saw that other man...the one giving the orders. But why would her friend resemble him?

"I...just..." She was afraid to go on, afraid he would be angry with her for saying such things about a member of his family. "Just...stay here."

"I'll have to go back eventually."

"No!" She blinked away the stinging tears. "No!"

"Kitty," he spoke gently. "It's all right. I'll keep you safe."

She couldn't say anymore. Instead she bowed her head and squeezed her lashes shut. With her stringy hair draped around her face, she looked very much like that weeping willow.

That night, after he went back, she prayed. Prayed that he would be okay, that whatever powers he possessed would keep him from all harm. And it would, physically at least. But his heart was open and vulnerable, threatening to bleed at any jab directed at it.

And she'd be the one to mend it...

* * *

><p>She waited in consternation for the "test" that was ordered to be carried out more than a week ago. In all that time she looked over her shoulders constantly and jumped at any sudden noises. Gaara noticed the change in her and assured her he'd not let anything hurt her. Katy was no longer embarrassed or tired of his constant need to be near her whenever possible, now she was thankful for it. Only when they were in Haven did she revert back to her carefree spirit.<p>

_The leaves are changing color._

Shades of yellow, brown, red, and orange adorned the trees. Already her father had cut the tall golden grass of the fields and raked it into large roundbales. The noise of the tractor had disturbed the red head and he was glad when the farmer's job was over and done with.

The smell of the sweet hay and leaves filled her nostrils. They were sprawled out under the apple tree again. The once sour green fruit was now a pale juicy yellow. The friends had helped themselves to some before declaring them the best apples ever. She took him around the farm to try everything. Fall was harvest season and almost everything was bearing edible goodies. The grapevines in the garden were especially bursting with little treats.

"I really like the strawberries," he announced quietly.

She froze, a scene playing in her mind.

The blood...

_It- it's just strawberry jam, r- right?_

He must have seen the look of dread on her face because he became alarmed. "Kitty? What's wrong?"

She blinked repeatedly. "N- nothing. So, uh, you wanna climb on haybales?"

The golden bales were hard to resist for the child, even if she wasn't supposed to be mountaineering over them like a monkey. He was about to agree when she shrieked in delight, effectively startling the boy.

"Look, look! Morning glories! A BLUE one!" She rushed to grab it. Inhaling its scent, she spun with it. "Yum."

The redhead looked thoroughly perplexed, but said nothing, opting to watch silently.

"Okay," she chirped with the morning glory still in hand. "Le's go to the fields!"

The companions ran side by side, an occasional bright leaf glided down around them. Katy pondered how Gaara would take to jumping in a pile of those leaves with her. They played in the fields, from climbing roundbales (or leaping up like a ninja in the redhead's case), to chasing grasshoppers that bounded from the grass blades with each footstep they took. It was fun, but Katy couldn't help the worry from creeping in.

She knew the attack was coming, in time.

She shoved her fears to the back and focused on him.

If she were to fall, it would be protecting him. And, besides, she knew...

If she did fall...

He would catch her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I know some of you may still be confused as to what Katy saw. If you go to my profile picture, you'll see what I had in mind. I used photo manipulation to make it look like what I had imagined while writing this.

And it seems Gaara is getting very possessive again...

Reviews are appreciated. Feel free to drop a line. :)

Thanks for reading.


	15. The Meaning

+++Part 15+++ 

The Meaning

"Ahh-ieee!" she shrieked.

It had sprung from the depths- out of nowhere! She didn't see it coming, could not have prepared a defense! It rattled ferociously, a red tongue jolting from its mouth, and its wood-like green skin...

Wait, why was it green? And woody?

Laughter rang out behind her. She spun to face heinous offender. A vaguely familiar face grinned at her in mischievous glee. His brown ruffled hair and large nose gave way to his identity.

It was Kankuro, Gaara's big brother.

The grin faded, however, when he realized whom it was he had frightened. Everyone and their cousin in Suna knew not to mess with the girl who had ensnared the affections of **him**. Especially so after the incident with the group of children, all of which suffered traumatic injuries after being caught harassing his friend. All knew that if she were to cry or scream...it usually meant death for the perpetrator.

"It's okay!" He put his hands up to show he was no threat.

_Don't scream, don't scream!_

"Look, see?" he said after running over to lift up the toy. "It's just a bamboo snake puppet."

The entire time Katy watched him her eyes stayed wide and her expression tight. Suddenly the older boy's aura spiked alarm. She could even feel the nervousness emitting off him and, for a moment, she thought she was the cause.

But then he stuttered, "Oh, h- hey, Gaara."

Turning, she found the real reason for Kankuro's fright. The scarlet haired boy stood quietly in the doorway with his fingers curl into fists at his side. Surprisingly he looked intimidating even to Katy. A sharp, cold glare was directed at his brother and caused the older male to flinch before sputtering apologies. All the youngest had to do was narrow his pale eyes to intensify both his glower and his silent rebuke.

Katy looked back and forth between the two. Something was definitely amiss. Wasn't it the older sibling that rebuked the younger? It was certainly that way in Katy's family. She would know, being the runt and all. But here it was switched up. It seemed Gaara had his older siblings whipped in line. How could he already have so much power over them- or, better yet, have power over them at all?

_For one so small- almost as small as me! - you're so strong._

She could feel the tension in the air between the two brothers. It was closing in around her and she had to break it or else she just might choke on it.

"I," she started quietly. The redhead's attention was immediately on her, his harsh gaze now one of utmost concern. "I'm...sorry. I didn't know it was...fake." She chose her words carefully. Feeling rather ashamed of her overreaction to the toy, she cast her face downward and let out one more hushed "sorry" before fidgeting with her simple white shirt.

With a small lopsided grin in place, Gaara walked over to her and carefully took her hands in his. The smile dulled though, when he saw the scar he had given her months earlier. He rubbed the white diagonal slash gingerly with his thumb, wishing he could take it away. Suddenly he stopped tracing it and looked up to his brother, the guilt being replaced with a scowl.

"Why are you still here?"

Shocked from his gaping reverie, Kankuro suppressed the shiver that tried to crawl up his spine. "Uh, right. I'll just go then."

He rushed out of the room as if his life depended on it. Katy couldn't understand it in the least. Appearances of Gaara's siblings were few and far in between. Were they avoiding him on purpose? She couldn't figure it out. But then again, she couldn't figure out any of the people from this village.

"My Geliebt." He squeezed her hands.

"Huh? Oh..." She spaced out again as soon as he'd snapped her out of it. This time she studied his hands.

They weren't like her brother's, which were rough and dirty. No, his fingers were long and slender, his palms and knuckles smooth, and yet his hands were big enough that they wouldn't be considered feminine.

She then took her own hands into deliberation. They were small, soft, and boney. Her fingers were especially boney and her long untrimmed nails didn't help maintain the creepiness level. She sighed.

"Kitty?" he called to her, shaking her out of her thoughts.

"Oh," she met his concerned face. "I'm just... Hey, wait a bloody minute!"

"What is it?"

"How'd he make that snake-y thing move? He wasn't even near it!"

The redhead calmed himself. He wished she'd not burst out like something was hurting her. "Chakra strings."

"Oooh... I forgot to get you some chalk, didn't I?"

The two friends exchanged mystified looks. He really had to explain to her what chakra is... **before** she filled his room up with rainbow chalk.

* * *

><p>She loved the blossoms of autumn. Even more she loved the time spent with her most beloved friend. The colored leaves kept drifting down until only a few still clung to the trees. The little hazelnut-eyed girl would gather the ones on the ground and form them into a pile. She leapt into the clustered leaves and showed him how fun it could be. He watched her contemplatively through the sea-foam orbs she had come to know and adore.<p>

He joined her game in earnest, enjoying the scent and tickle of the leaves as much as she did. But when the game was over, and as she picked stray leaves from his crimson tresses, she still felt the nagging pang in her heart.

Katy knew the attack was coming.

But she didn't know when. It had been so long now. Had they changed their minds? Or were they simply having trouble finding someone willing to do the task? It was a well-known fact that the "Kazekage Child" was very powerful, and was capable of killing without breaking a sweat.

Katy didn't know what it all meant...or perhaps did not want to know. Whenever she overheard anyone talking about her friend killing, she closed her ears. Not Gaara, not her Geliebt. He was kind and gentle- at least to her. She really didn't comprehend much of what these people said and did. It made no sense to her. Why were they so malicious? She hated the way they treated her friend. All the pain he had to go through...it was something she could scarcely imagine. However, if there was any way she could make it better, to make that pain go away, then she would find it. All Katherine wanted was for Gaara to be safe and happy. She loved his smile and she would jump at any opportunity to make him laugh. Katy hoped that one day the people of his homeland would see what she did. That maybe they would love him too... But even if they never did, she would.

Always.

And when the two companions were back on the porch of her house, as he was sorting leaves out of her hair, she told him.

"Always," she finished peacefully.

His eyes were opened wide. His soul drank in her words like sacred water. Then, slowly, he pulled her into a compulsory embrace and whispered in a quivering voice, "Always..."

* * *

><p>"My birthday's comin' up soon! I'll be six, just like you," she chirped happily.<p>

His curious gaze met her. "When?"

"Novembah! The twentieth. Will you help me eat mah cake?"

He nodded, smiling. She had a funny way of inviting him. Katy was exactly ten months and one day younger than he who would be turning seven on the nineteenth of January. The redhead knitted his brow in thought. What would he get her? What did she like? He ran a mental checklist of things she was fond of and much of it, like swimming and climbing trees, could not be put into a package.

He was forced to think on it overnight. The boy really had no clue what to give the adventurous girl as a gift. Briefly he remembered her giving him the promised rainbow chalk...although in reality he hadn't asked for it. After that she had scratched her head over his explanation of **chakra**- not chalk.

Perchance she would understand eventually.

He would keep the mini bucket of her present anyway. It was from her and that made it special, even if he wasn't likely to use it.

_Blue, she likes blue..._

He wanted his present to her to be even more special. At three in the morning he decided to seek out the aid of his sister. To say Temari was startled would have been the understatement of the year. He leaned over the side of the bed, leering down at her.

"What do you recommend I get Katy for her birthday?" he inquired flatly.

Turquoise eyes only stared at him widely. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. He regarded her for a few more seconds before turning his attention to what lay on her nightstand. Picking up the small object, he examined it, opening and closing it. After taking it into consideration, he put it back down and turned once again to his sister.

He uttered a straightforward, "Thank you" before vanishing into the night.

Unfortunately Temari wouldn't be getting back to sleep, instead laying stock-still until it was time to get up.

* * *

><p>Gaara had given it to her early, as he no longer wanted to bear the wait. He had to see those eyes light up at the gift. And light up she did. Katherine turned it over in her hands carefully, taking in every detail. The navy blue fan fascinated her. The gold trim was beautiful and the flowers painted across the width of it were breathtaking.<p>

"Th- thank you," she said ecstatically, breathlessly. "It's lovely. Thank you, thank you!"

When she had wrapped her arms around his neck, he knew he had chosen the right one.

They continued to grow their ever-expanding friendship. Charles didn't seem to mind too much, but Charlotte was getting upset again. However, she conceded when she saw how depressed Katy was in the absence of her friend.

With her mother's discretion, they alternated their little sleepovers often between his home and hers. He stayed at her house on one particular night, and restlessness stirred in both children.

"Why won't you just sleep?"

"I told you I can't," he repeated from the makeshift cot beside her bed.

She pouted down at him, an arm dangling off the edge and brushing his shoulder. "Everyone's prob'ly asleep now. You come up?"

The redhead complied, silently creeping up. She scooted over and lifted the covers for him. Sliding under the colorful sheets, he laid his head on the warm pillow before moving to rest his forehead against hers.

This was how things usually ended up, and then, before Charlotte awoke, he'd be back down on the cot. But until then he'd be exchanging whispers with Katy. Before long her eyelids would droop though she always tried to stay up longer than him. It's safe to say she might not ever succeed.

Tonight, however, she was determined.

HE was going to fall asleep first, whether he liked it or not.

"Will you," he began, canceling the staring contest they were having. "Sing me that song again?"

"Will it make you sleep?"

He glanced away briefly. "...Please."

"Fine, fine." She sighed.

Gaara waited. Her voice came out more muted than usual and the redhead had to pull himself closer to her. He laid his head down on her collarbone so he could hear her little voice clearly as she hummed the tune and slowly sang the words.

_You'll never know, dear, how much I love you..._

It was his favorite part. And he knew Katy meant those words, without a doubt. The scarlet haired boy breathed evenly and blissfully. He never wanted it to end.

But it did end.

Eventually the rhythm faded and he believed she had drifted off. Except when, after a few minutes, another rhythm started. She was even quieter communicating this song.

"My precious one, my darling one, don't let your lashes weep. My cherished one, my weary one, it's time to go to sleep."

Katy had trouble remembering all the words of her mother's lullaby, but it had worked in getting her to sleep. Perhaps it would do the same for her friend. Though small and fragile, her voice did what she wanted it to do. It carried her hopes and love to her most precious friend. She just wanted him to understand the meaning of those words.

"Just bow your head and give your cares to me. Just close your eyes and fall into the sweetest dream."

He received the message, a gentle smile etched on his face. Letting out a content sigh, he let himself relax and relish in the melody.

"'Cause in my loving arms..." She paused, trying to remember the words. "You're safe as you will ever be so hush, my dear, and sleep."

Leisurely, his lashes slid down, the cadence of her voice echoing in the back of his mind...

* * *

><p>Katherine didn't know what woke her up first, the thunder or his screams. She tried to shake him awake but he only went thrashing through the covers. Katy didn't register the beating sound of rain or the door to her mother's bedroom opening. She only just caught sight of her mom's silhouette coming to them until a flash of lightening revealed her fully.<p>

"What's wrong with him? Ma," Katy squeaked.

"Give him here," commanded the woman.

The boy continued to convulse and scream. He clutched at his head as tears and saliva dripped from his face.

_Is he having some sort of seizure?_ Charlotte wondered.

"What's going on?" Denim shouted from the hall.

"Go back to sleep, Denim! I'm taking care of it!"

Denim heeded his mother's words and shut his door. Charlotte lifted the red haired child up and hurried him to the bath with Katy shadowing behind her. The woman flipped on the light switch and then the faucet. To Katy's shock, she held Gaara's head under the gushing torrent. The little brunette did not know if she should lean towards confusion or relief each time the arctic-eyed woman pulled him back out of the water and pushed him back in again.

It was the only way she could think to calm him. And soon it essentially worked.

He coughed and sputtered over the side of the tub, finally regaining his senses. Thunder boomed around the house as Charlotte dried his hair.

"Gaara...?" Katy called timidly, unsure of the situation.

"Yes," he answered her. He was all right.

"Is this why...?"

"Yes," he repeated.

Katherine looked between her mother and Gaara. All three were spooked, the thunder not helping ease the circumstances.

"Um... S- so..." Katy swallowed, then squeaked, "Who wants coffee?"

* * *

><p>Briskly, they walked side by side through the streets of Suna. The other night still hung fresh in Katy's mind. It scared her; she thought her friend was <strong>dying<strong>. Why did it happen? She tried asking him. He would not give her a clear answer. So she accepted the little bit he told her, choosing to trust him. Her father had not been so trusting, though, when he came out of bed to see what all the commotion was about. Charlotte did her best to smooth things over.

And though Katy still sang for him, and only him, never again did she try to coax him into sleep.

"So, you like coffee I make?" Katy had insisted she make it herself, and she was by no means strict with her usage of sugar and milk.

"It was...very sweet." He stared over at her, the evening sun revealed the hidden gold highlights in her chocolate hair.

The roads were empty excluding them and although this was not unusual, Gaara still felt...slighted. He let out a sigh and smiled. He had his Katy, his Geliebt, and that was all he needed.

Katherine stopped suddenly. Sea-foam eyes locked onto her.

"What is it?" He spoke again, worry lacing his words when he saw her teeth chattering and her shoulders shaking. "Kitty? Are you all right?"

"B-Bambi's mom is whispering to me again."

The boy was taken aback. "That thing you saw? At the willow?"

She nodded before covering her ears. "It's loud! It's...!"

The blade sliced through her flesh before the redhead could even blink.

The attack, the "test" had come.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** It's out a bit early. I hope it doesn't seem rushed.

Opinions? Compliments? Complaints? Feel free to leave a review. ^_^

As always, thank you for reading.


	16. Frost Fright

+++Part 16+++

Frost Fright

"What is your report?"

Images of the bloodied body of the girl flashed in his mind. The screams of his nephew echoed in memory as the boy carried the lifeless form of his only friend, her crimson life source staining his arms and clothes.

"...Alive, but not uninjured."

"And?"

"Gaara wasn't able to deflect the first strike made on her. However, he dispatched his opponent, kept her from death, and brought her to me for help." The medic concluded, "He...hasn't left her for a moment. Not even when prompted."

"I see," sighed the scowling man. "He prevented her from being killed. But he still needs work. If he is going to be of any worth to us he will need to control it...and his emotions."

He paused for a minute. "Keep the girl alive. We will need her for later, for another test. Dismissed."

"Yes...lord Kazekage."

* * *

><p>Everything ached and her shoulder stung and burned. She groaned, opening her eyes to see a familiar face and breathed out a sigh of relief.<p>

"Kitty," he murmured and touched her forehead.

She struggled to speak, to ask what was going on, but her throat only conjured out a small croak.

"Are you awake, miss Katherine?" Yashamaru walked up to the bedside. "How are you feeling?"

She said nothing, instead scanning the room with questioning eyes.

"You had an accident. You will need time to recover. I would have sent word to your family...but..." he trailed off.

Katy frowned at the ceiling. She wasn't telling him anything about where she lived. Besides, Katy sometimes had a habit of partaking in sleepovers without asking, much to the chagrin of her mother. But it was okay, they knew she was with Gaara and she'd not be scolded too harshly.

"We should let her rest now, Gaara."

The scarlet haired boy stayed put, holding onto his fallen friend's arm. When asked again, both children shook their heads.

"All right," sighed Yashamaru. "But keep her still. She needs to heal."

"Yes," the boy answered, not even tearing his eyes away from her for a second.

When the medic left, Katy tried to talk once more. "What...hap- happened?"

He relayed the entire ordeal. That was no accident; it was the very thing she had been dreading for so long now. Katy stayed quiet. She knew he had to know; he had to have at least some suspicion. She didn't want to see her friend upset, so she didn't make a point of it. They were both okay and for now...that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>Katy recovered quickly. Very quickly. She didn't want to admit it...but it was because of his uncle. He used some strange magic. When he held his hand over the wound, it was warm and soothing, the light glow from his hand.<p>

_Is this...chakra?_ she marveled.

Gaara's explanation of the stuff might finally be sinking in.

As soon as she was better she went home. Katy was careful to keep the remnants of her injury from her family. She had to borrow clothes from the redhead's sister and the shirt and pants were oversized- which was good. That made it easier for her to hide in them. She stood and took her mother's chidings quietly. Hopefully it wouldn't scar. The medic said it wouldn't, but she never really trusted what he said.

"Um, so when can Gaara come over again?" she asked after her mother's rant.

Not very good timing there, Kat.

The woman huffed, "I think you two need to take a break from each other!"

"But...uh..."

"Not today or tomorrow!"

The little brunette nibbled at the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to wait a couple days. Oh, well. Knowing Gaara, he'd come over anyway.

And he did, stealthily. He eased in through the window and took his place beside her on the bed. Both sat leaning against the headrest. She informed him that she couldn't go over to his home for a while. He seemed to understand. As long as he could come and see her...even if it was in the middle of the night.

* * *

><p>She jumped, she whirled, but still she saw nothing. Was it all in her head? The whispers of the doe's ghost were coming more frequently. Sometimes it was faint and dull, other times it was jarring and loud. Rarely could she make out any of the words. Even then, it was hard to decipher them. She was only a child, who only recently turned six.<p>

And Katy wasn't sure whether to be afraid or not anymore.

It had led her back to safety from the desert. But it was a **ghost**. How could she not feel threatened? But it had helped her too...

There were some words she was able to hear in its whispers. She wondered about them. She didn't feel in danger when she heard them. She knew one thing; it was a warning, like a warning her mother would give her.

_I cannot protect you..._

What did it mean by that? Katy briskly shook the thought from her mind. In her young age she was scarcely able to wrap her mentality around the matter. It made her more than uneasy... She didn't want to think on it. She continued to run through the woods, instead focusing on what was more important to her. And what was more important was getting to her friend.

She had a surprise for him. It was something she had discovered that morning and she couldn't wait to share it with him. She wanted to see his response more than anything right now.

* * *

><p>The boy stood grounded to the porch of the big old house. This had to be one of the most shocking moments Gaara had experienced since he first came to her realm.<p>

Everything was...white.

The air was cold. The redhead was fascinated by the visibility of his breaths as he exhaled. The trees were garlanded by frost in place of the leaves. Some of the branches were even encased in what appeared to be glass. The strange substance drooped over the edges and hung there.

_She wanted me to see the icicles_, he remembered. _That's what those things are._

The glittering white on the floor of the forest also shimmered up in the trees. It made a quantity of trees bend almost like the weeping willow. The red haired child had never seen anything like this in his life.

"Kee-mon," chirped the quirky girl. "It's fun!"

Gaara's sea-foam eyes took in the sight of his little brunette bounding and rolling through the stuff she called snow. He stared down at the flurry that had fallen from the sky. It glittered in the light of the distant sun. Carefully he descended the steps, stopping just before the snow, the frost on the step revealing where he had walked. This wasn't so bad. It was kind of like sand. It gleamed in sunlight the same. That's what he figured, at least, until he stepped down into it. The cold immediately penetrated the shinobi sandals, making his toes tingle at the quick numbing sensation.

He scrunched up his nose at it, returning the unpleasantness it showed him. The frozen rain made an odd crunching noise as he trudged his way over to Katy. This wasn't like sand at all.

"Yeah, you're gonna need some boots." She blinked slowly, taking in his shivering form. "And a coat. Are you cold?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. Of course he was cold! He was miserable! "It's freezing," he bit out.

"Yah... Le's go get you some boots. Here, take mah socks. Better than nothin'!" She plopped down into a sitting position, pulling off her snow boots and heavy beige socks before flinging them at Gaara.

"My brother has some old boots you can borrow. And we have lot'sa old coats downstairs in the basement," she said, pushing her little feet back in the pink boots.

Why did her mother insist on the pinkness? Oh well, they'd kept her feet warm and the fuzz on the inside would help for the walk to the house. Heat escaped with no socks.

She looked back at the redhead. Was he sulking? He shivered, holding his arms around himself in an attempt to ward off the cold. Katy felt a pang in her chest. He looked so pitiful, shivering and sniffling. But she gave him socks! That **had** to make him feel better.

She waited for him to come but he stayed put. Only when she started walking off did she hear him trudge along after her. He'd get used to it. Hopefully...

Maybe he'd even come to like it...?

* * *

><p>Denim was out helping Charles with the chickens. Katy had fun raiding her brother's closet in that time. She searched high and low for "the warmness" for her friend so he could enjoy the snow too. Two brown boots, more boy clothes, and one pair of dark green gloves later, she was done searching.<p>

Charlotte came up from the basement with a black coat and red scarf. "This should fit you. Come here."

He saw no choice but to cooperate. His Geliebt wanted to go back outside and he could not deny her, not now. The desert child would have been perfectly content to spend the day inside with the hot chocolate her mother made them.

But it was not to be...

The black hood made him look he just jumped out of The Nightmare Before Christmas. The mean expression on his face didn't help things either. The dark circles of his eyes appeared even spookier and his red hair completed the devilish appearance.

Katy liked it, though.

Her lavender coat and white winter stockings made her look like a small angel. But with her view on things...he was the angel. She was just a...

"Miranda and Jennie are waiting, you two. Katherine, put your hood up."

She never finished the thought.

Miranda's eyes bulged. "Wow...that's creepy. Who invited the angel of death?"

"Me!" Katy said perkily, pausing, and then after recognizing Miranda's words as insulting, retorted, "Your MOM's creepy!"

"Hey! Jeez, whatever. You're creepy!"

"Don't fight," Jennie intercepted. "Let's just play."

Both girls conceded with a snort. The red haired boy slipped his fingers in with Katy's, glaring at her blonde cousin. The look made Miranda pull back slightly and she knew she had better watch her step.

The tense atmosphere departed, however, when Katy fell on her rear, caused by her shuffling on the iced patio. If Gaara hated the ice before, he truly hated it now. He crouched down with her to see if she was all right. His worries were dismissed when she began to laugh. Her outlandish zebra-like laughter brought giggles from both her cousins. Even the redhead had to smile at his friend's eccentric laughter. He helped her to her feet.

"Okay," Miranda chuckled. "Let's go."

The small group advanced off the patio and into the white-blanketed yard. As they left their footprints in the fresh snow, Gaara walked ever vigilant by Katy. He'd make sure she didn't fall again.

"What is this stuff good for?" he grumbled.

**Splat!**

A ball of the white hit and burst on his coat. Wide eyes darted over to Miranda, stifling a laugh behind her gloves. It didn't hurt him- he hardly felt it. But still... it was astonishing to him. His guard of sand was nowhere to be seen. Though his defense was not dependable here, where his chakra went on and off, it still shocked him.

"Get 'er!" shouted Katy, scooping up a snowball of her own and returning fire. Dismissing his thoughts, he moved to join her.

And so the battle began.

It was the two sisters versus Gaara and Katy. They took cover behind trees, dashed around, and rolled to avoid being hit. Not unexpected, the redhead didn't take another hit aside from that first one.

"Okay, okay!" Katy wheezed. "Le's stop."

"All right, truce." Miranda said as they gathered together again. "So now what?"

Gaara looked between them, asking, "What else can you do with it?"

The little brunette dropped down to her knees. Gaara observed her quizzically as she collected an armful of snow, patted it into a ball, and started to roll it across the ground. "What are you doing, Kitty?"

"I wanna see how big we can make it." She kept at it and very soon it was almost as big as her.

His pale eyes watched her curiously until he saw her struggle with the weight. Quickly, he was there, helping her move it along. The snow groaned into it, and soon they had to push it out to the field for more space and snow. Miranda and Jennie wanted to help too, and took up the job of patting more snow on in the places where the now cylinder-shaped mass had crumbled.

It got bigger and bigger, more fell off, and more was patted on.

"What are you guys doing?" Denim sauntered over to them.

"We're seeing how big a snowball we can make," Miranda replied.

The dark haired boy paused, thinking, before scrunching up his face, 'Why are you letting the scrawny ones push it?" He shoved his way in with Katy and Gaara. "I'll do it. I'm the strongest."

The redhead narrowed his eyes. He was having no difficulties whatsoever. But his expression softened on Katy. She was puffing with exhaustion. Denim was correct, though, in saying she was small. Even Jennie, a year younger, was taller than the little brunette. He might not be at an impressive height himself, however Gaara was stronger than he looked. Kat was not.

"Kitty, are you okay?"

"Yah," she gasped. "Yah, s'go."

He smiled gently at her. She may have been small, but she had a big heart to make up for it. And he was more than thankful for that.

Inside, Charlotte took a sip from her steaming mug, watching the children from the kitchen window. Her being was warmed by the sight of them all playing together, more so than the hot tea in her cup. She sighed, eyes crinkling in a smile.

However, that smile faded slightly when she thought back to yesterday and the confession Katy had made about her friend.

_His momma's gone,_ she said. _His dad's never around._

The sadness reflecting from her daughter's eyes that day told the woman it was serious, and it almost made her heart break.

_They treat him bad,_ Katy's words echoed in her mind. _Really bad..._

Charlotte's eyes slid shut. _Lonely child..._

It all made sense now. The way he clung to Katherine, how possessive he was. The child probably had no one else. Was the only real acceptance and love the boy had ever known coming from Katy?

Her arctic blue gaze reopened to see them outside. The red haired child was smiling and laughing now, Katy hopping all over him in one of her weird gestures of friendship. Charlotte's warm feeling returned and she suddenly felt proud of her youngest.

She had reached out and touched this boy's life.

His strange appearance she did not judge, his possessiveness she had tolerated, and she still accepted and loved him for all that he was. And now she could see it, could hear what her daughter heard...

_I need you to love me. Love me, please love me._

The door swung open. "Sorry I'm late, mother," Loraine huffed. "Mae, wait! Your mittens! Put on your mittens!"

The eldest child of the Watters family basically had to chuck the mittens at her daughter before the young girl took off without them. Hurriedly, she stuck her little hands inside the wool material, then plopped off through the snow to meet up with the others.

Katy was overjoyed to see her niece, jumping up and waving. "Mae! Look, look! Look how big we got it! It looks like a mini-roundbale, right?"

The smaller hazel-eyed girl nodded, clapping her glee.

No one was to push it anymore. The snow kept crumbling off it and, to everyone but Gaara, it was too heavy. Refusing to be out matched in strength, Denim mashed his entire body weight against it. The compacted snow moaned as it slowly rolled. The others held their breath when...

"Aw, it broke!" Jennie cried.

"Well, so much for that! Now what?"

The children looked at each other, lost as what to do. Randomly, Kat sprawled herself on what was left of their giant snowball. "Why? Whyyy?" she whined, sliding down the mound. "That was fun... Gaara, slide down too! Is fun!"

Hesitantly, with little trust for the white substance, he obliged, ending up rolling over Katy. In their two-person pileup, they laughed. Mae had slid down it to join the pair at the bottom.

"Hey! Let's make a snow slide!" Miranda suggested.

Denim blinked. "A snow slide?"

"Yah," chirped Katy. "Slide of snow."

"Okay, everyone go get snow and put it on the highest part." Denim marched forward with his orders.

In a team effort, they built a fairly decent sized slide. They took turns climbing up and descending down to smooth it out. Finally it was complete. It might have even worked better than a real slide. At her insistence, Katy, Mae, and Gaara went down at the same time linked like a train. The laughter of children filled the air.

After they were finished with that, they decided to have another snowball fight. No matter what, Gaara insisted he be with Katy. Since she wouldn't have it any other way either, they were put together on a team with Mae. Denim, Miranda, and Jennie took the other side of the battlefield. Mae threw shots haphazardly with Katy and Gaara may have had to protect them from a few face shots.

Katherine had fun. By the happy faces of the others, she knew they had fun too. And the happiness radiating off her Geliebt captivated her. Taking his hand, she knew he'd like the next part.

They all scurried inside, hot chocolate already waiting for them, courtesy of Charlotte and Loraine. Katy was right. He liked it. It was almost surreal to him, just like the feeling he had after everyone helped him after he'd almost drowned. That snow slide had been the first group project he'd ever been involved in. He actually felt valued, maybe more than he ever had in his life.

"I said don't call me Kitty!"

"But Gaara calls you that! Why can't I?"

"Because...uh, 'cause... I said so!"

"Kitty has a crush," Miranda teased.

"Stop it! Agh!" Katy pulled at her hair.

Gaara stared at her as laughter erupted from around the table. He could not help the smile that formed on his lips. All together, like family. Mae had even begun to call him her uncle. He realized it then.

He had been accepted into this family long ago.

It was this warmth he had always yearned for.

If it brought people together like this, then perhaps frost and snow wasn't so bad after all...

* * *

><p>They stood atop the Kaze mansion's level roof.<p>

"But…they are only children!" The blonde medic had protested.

He received a dark glare in return. "If Gaara is to be of any value to this village, then we need to see if he can handle it."

Yashamaru remained silent for a moment. "I...still don't see."

The Fourth clasped his hands behind him, turning around to look out over his village. The two men were quiet, and Yashamaru thought it to be the end of the conversation until the other sighed.

"I see them. I know how much the girl means to him, how much he adores her." The Kage straightened. "And that is why... He must be able to withstand even that loss."

The medic's jaw set. "But miss Katherine isn't a threat to this village."

The reply was sharp. "That is not the point. As a Jinchuuriki, Gaara must be able to control his emotions. If he can keep himself, and Shukaku, in check then I will consider him worthy. Otherwise...he will join the girl soon enough."

The auburn haired man threw a hard look back at Yashamaru. "Corner them, make sure he sees her die."

Yashamaru breathed deep, a struggle going on within. He had told himself he hated Gaara because he was why his sister died. But then tried to love him as he did his sister because he was a part of her. But now he knew whom he really hated.

And, just maybe, it wasn't Gaara.

Maybe it was the man in front of him. He was the one who sealed the demon into his nephew while the child was still in his sister's womb. And as a result, his sister died.

His expression went blank. However... he was a shinobi, part of the Anbu. It was his duty to heed the orders of his Kage, his leader.

He had no other choice. He had to do what was best for the village.

Whether he loved the boy or hated him didn't matter, his orders were clear.

Flatly, with no emotion, he acknowledged his duty.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, this chapter is kinda full of fluff... Except for the parts with the Kazekage.

Want a fast update? Review, review, review! I love reading reviews and they encourage me to write! ^_^

As always, thank you for reading.


	17. One More Day

**A/N:** You guys are so great at reviewing! True to my word, you get a fast update. And I usually don't like posting on odd-numbered days (strange I know).

Oh, I just realized I updated chapter 16 on the 16th and now chapter 17 on the 17th. ^_^

* * *

><p><span>+++Part 17+++<span>

One More Day

_The sun will rise on one more day..._

She ran to him. Though her heart filled with fear, she still went to him. She was always on edge when entering the desert city. The reality of what had happened rung clear in her mind. They tried to kill her, tried to kill him. Whichever one they were targeting, she knew it was going to happen again. What was more stressful was the way she learned of her impending death.

The whispers of the phantom doe that haunted her had become clear, she could understand its words. It told her what they were planning, it told her to hide away. Katy worked up the nerve to ask the she-deer how it knew this, how could she believe what it was saying?

"_You know it to be true_," it had replied. "_I have my ways of learning the people's way_. _Listen quietly, little one, and you will learn the truth_."

And she did, by the grim expression of Yashamaru and the stern stare of that man...the one who gave the orders, the one they called "lord Kazekage".

She should have known the phantom was telling the truth, just by recalling the conversation she overheard between the two men. It still shocked her, what they said that day in the hall when she stumbled into earshot of their words. They were going to have Gaara dealt with if he failed to keep them from killing her. So their objective was to kill both children? But what was their plan this time?

"_I told you_," the ghostly doe whispered, "_they mean to kill __**you**__ this time_..."

It appeared for a moment, circling her irritably before freezing, a wispy ear flicking towards the village. Katy stopped her pace to follow its gaze.

"_Not very many things get past my ears. I can hear them now, planning your demise_." It whisked back inside Katy as quickly as it had come out. "_You must hurry, turn back. Never return here!_"

"Wha-? No! I don't...! I won't leave my Geliebt!"

Katy may not have understood the situation entirely, but she did know she'd not separate from Gaara no matter what.

_My friend, you are dearer to me than this life..._

Katy continued walking to the village and possibly to her end. If only to be with her friend, she swept her fears under the rug.

"_If you die, then I shall surely fade from existence. My form cannot sustain itself without a physical body to take shelter in. Not anymore._"

The little brunette blinked. "What? Look, Ms. Bambi's mom, I dunno half the things you say. You use big words!"

When she received no reply, she shrugged it off and moved through the hidden tunnel entrance. She dusted herself off on the other side and immediately went straight to the weeping willow. It had become their new meeting place ever since Katy had planted it back in the fall. Its draping branches and leaves offered some sort of protection from the harshness of the desert and its people.

No villagers came anywhere near the area where the tree stood. That was one of the reasons Katy had planted it there. Plus, it was closer to the tunnel than the swing set. Even if anyone saw it, what could they do? No one could pin it on the little brunette or the red haired boy. Although the ninjas did discover it swiftly, they left it alone- a mark on a now forbidden area.

Katy wasn't sure what made it grow, but she figured it had something to do with that blue stuff coming out of her eyes and the phantom. Nevertheless, it was a refuge in this cruel climate.

"Kitty!" He jumped down from one of the high branches. "I was about to come get you. What happened?" The boy was suddenly tense, awaiting her answer. "Did someone try to stop you?"

The girl shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, I saw a turtle and had to follow it." Her hazelnut eyes widened. "Did you know turtles are really slow?"

He squinted at her, a little worried. "Yes, Kitty, everyone knows that."

She lifted her hands in a shrug. "Well, nobody told me."

He felt his lips tilt upwards in a small grin. "Silly girl. Come on, let's play."

"Okay!"

* * *

><p>It was about three hours after noon when Yashamaru looked up to see the pair come in the doorway. Katy stuck close to Gaara, holding on tightly to his arm. She was afraid; he was smiling unknowingly.<p>

Though the solemn look in his eyes did not leave, Yashamaru did manage to return a friendly smile for them. Gaara asked if he could go with Katy to her home- she wanted to show him something. The medic nodded, saying it was okay with him.

Better to let them have time together now, as they wouldn't have each other for very much longer.

Yashamaru glanced at the girl he'd have to kill. Her joyfulness shimmered in her eyes through the fear as his nephew hugged her with equal joy. The blonde man steeled himself. Although he would put it off until he could no longer get away with it, he was reminded of his duty every time he saw the girl.

The two friends left, Katy sticking to Gaara like glue as they ran out. Yashamaru turned back to his medicinal herbs, mentally preparing himself for what he had to do...

* * *

><p>Katy plopped herself next to Gaara in front of the television. She had just put one of her favorite movies in the VCR.<p>

"Is this what you wanted me to see?" the redhead asked.

"Yep," was her simple reply before pressing the "play" button.

Seriously enough, the movie followed the story of a black horse, a beautiful horse. It told of his hardships and his dream of reuniting with his friends. Gaara's expression hardened when the horse's precious friend, Ginger, died. It ended with the horse in a green pasture, running with his loved ones.

"Why did Ginger have to die?" he asked, sounding more upset, more angry, than Katy had when she first watched it.

"I dunno. But she was running with them at the end."

"That was just the black horse dreaming," he groused, looking down.

"But..." She didn't have anything to challenge that. She believed it to be happy ending. The black horse was reunited with his kind master, his old friends. However, with the redhead's revelation of Ginger's presence at the end being just a dream of the black horse, Katy became sad too.

Slowly, she surrounded him in her arms. He returned the gesture rapidly, clutching onto her as if for dear life.

Later that short winter day, when the stars came out early, the companions laid out on the roof of the small house, side by side. They were searching for a shooting star, the cold air pushing them together for warmth.

Katy's father wouldn't like them being on the roof, but Gaara had gotten them up there soundlessly. Snow clung to the edges of the tiles, not all of it had been blown off by the strong winds from the previous day.

"There!" The scarlet haired boy pointed to the sky. "Did you see it, Kitty?"

"Yah! Pretty! Ooh, ooh! What'd you wish for?"

He was silent for a long time and Katy was beginning to think he wasn't going to say.

"Nothing. I already have what I wished for."

"What? What's it?" She squirmed impatiently; she wanted to know.

He turned to her, gently brushing her face with his fingers. "My Geliebt."

She returned his gaze with wonder. He moved nearer, placing his forehead against hers. "What did you wish for?"

She furrowed her brow, thinking hard on it. Finally, she responded, "I wished...I wish...for another day with you."

* * *

><p><em>One more day, one more time...<em>

"No!" she yelled out into the frostbitten wind.

A minute ago she was walking with the scarlet haired boy through the woods to the old house, keeping him company before he went back to the desert. Its voice stopped her as she made her way back home.

"_There is no other way..._"

"I said no!"

"_They will get you, then where will your friend be?_" The phantom materialized out from the young girl, those unmoving eyes staring down to her core. Its rigid posture made it look like it belonged in the wintry environment.

"_Well? It is better this way. I will seal the portal that connects your realms. But I will let you say goodbye, it is the least I can offer._"

"No!" Katy cried again. "No!"

She didn't understand what seals had to do with it, since they lived in the ocean, but by the ghost's previous explanation she got that it was going to lock the portal to Gaara.

The phantom doe stood calmly as the small girl unleashed her fury. She stomped, pulled at her hair, threw snow clumps, and screeched until she was red in the face. Katy stopped hurling the snow after the tenth clump passed through the body of cerulean fog.

Frustration rampant, Katy took off her coat, flung it away from herself, and fell face down in the snow in a childish act of defiance. She remained motionless, the cold creeping into her skin.

"_Are you done? You won't change my mind so hold your tantrums, child._" It moved to stand beside her fallen form. "_It is not forever. The...lock,_" the doe said, simplifying for the little girl, "_will not hold for long. It will fade away eventually. Then you can go back to him._"

Hesitantly, Katy turned her face up from the ground. "How- how long?"

"_Well, it's hard to say. Not for very long._"

She was quiet, seemingly thinking it over. She did not answer back until the chilly night made her teeth chatter. "Okay..."

"_Good._" It put its ears down. "_You may think I'm cruel... but this is for the best, for all involved. You will see. Now, be sure to say your goodbyes tomorrow._"

"Tomorrow," Kat repeated as the doe disappeared back inside her being.

_One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied._

She went back to the desert the next day, dragging her feet as she went. She met him under the willow, as usual. Her heavy heart lifted when she saw his smile, his bright eyes. They played together all through the day. The departure of the sun came way too soon. Katy found herself looking more at Gaara than the colors the sun left behind.

When it had fully vanished from the horizon, he took her back through the portal. One hug later and he was gone. Why did he have to go? Wasn't Haven more of a home than that village?

While she descended the stairs, it spoke, "_What are you doing? You forgot to say your farewells._"

"Tomorrow," Katy quipped. "I'll do it tomorrow."

It gave a strained yet placid prompt. "_Be sure that you do_."

The routine happened again and Katy told the doe the same thing.

"Tomorrow, I'll do it **tomorrow**."

_But then again, I know what it would do. It'd leave me wishing, still, for one more day with you..._

* * *

><p>The desert does have a rainy season. While short, it provided the village's reserves with adequate amounts of water. Yet, this year had not been kind to Suna. The rainy season had not delivered the usual precipitation. They would get by, but it did worry some.<p>

The children were mostly oblivious to this predicament.

Katy showed interest in seeing this rainfall; she had believed it never rained in the desert and the dark clouds that covered the sky and dimmed the day almost proved themselves against this belief. But, like many previous, they merely passed overhead without giving a single drop of rain.

"I like butter," said Katy randomly.

Gaara gave her a neutral stare, he was used to this by now.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, as if to taunt the dry land. The pair stayed inside the scarlet haired boy's room in case the clouds changed their minds. The gloomy day incited Katy to turn on a lamp to light the poorly lit room.

"I win," he said simply, placing one of his game pieces over hers.

Katy's vacant expression turned to one of annoyance. "I like Candy Land better."

His grin was lopsided. "You really liked that game, didn't you?"

"Yah," she nodded. They had played the colorful board game repeatedly last season one rainy afternoon in Katy's bedroom. At least they weren't playing Connect Four again, that game got boring after the fifteenth round.

The far off thunder brought the boy's gaze to the window. "I wonder if it'll rain here this time..."

"I like rain," she peeped.

He smiled, returning his attention back to her. "I like you."

Katy's eyes enlarged in surprise before she fidgeted, smiling bashfully. Shyly, she faintly turned away, peering at him from the corner of her eye. "Oh gosh..." She placed her hand on her cheek, contemplating covering her gleeful face. "Thank you. I like you, too."

Pleased with her response, Gaara gingerly crawled over the game board to her before wrapping his arms around his friend. Katy giggled ecstatically and hid her face in his shirt, still feeling a bit bashful.

"_Tell him..._" came the voice in her mind.

Sobering, Katy sighed. The doe said it wouldn't be for long. So it was okay, right? She'd be back, and then they'd be playing together again in a flash.

"Geliebt, I have to tell you something."

He pulled back, the question already in his eyes. "What is it, Kitty?"

"I," she gulped, not wanting to do this. "I have to go soon."

The boy deflated. "But it's early, the sun hasn't even gone down yet."

"No, I mean..." Within, the phantom impelled her. "I have to go away for a while. I don't know how long..." she drifted off, seeing the panic escalating on Gaara's face.

His breathing became ragged. "You're going away...? Like Ginger went away?"

Without thinking, without remembering the mare's fate, she answered, "Yes."

That was the worst thing to say.

The expression on the boy's face was beyond haunted. Black eyelids peeled back to make his eyes seem wider than they had ever been. His mouth dropped open and he choked out pained noises, grabbing the fabric over his chest, over his heart.

Katy looked on in shock. The horror unveiled in front of her. What was going on? Sooner than she could inquire, he started screaming. The next thing she knew, she was being dragged by sand. It shoved her roughly in the closet. Then it was dark, the sand jamming the door shut.

After finding herself, Katy pushed up on the door. "What are you doing? L-let me out!"

From the other side, she heard, "No, I'll never let you out! You won't go!"

She tried opening the door, hitting it, kicking it, and ramming into it. It would not budge.

"Please, Gaara," she pleaded. "It won't be for long. I'll come back like always, promise." Tears welled in her eyes. "I promise."

She put her ear to the door but he said no reply. So she sat on the floor of the closet and waited. Silent tears fell accompanied by an occasional hiccup. She pulled her knees to her chest. Katy glimpsed at the scar on her left hand. Similar events had happened to give her this mark. She had informed Gaara she'd be gone for a couple days because her family was going to visit distant relatives. The boy went berserk and lost control of his powers, branding her with the wound.

Eventually, her tears ceased. Strange muffled sounds came from the other side of the door. She tuned in, listening hard. Her breath was caught in her throat when she realized what it was.

He was crying.

Katy's lip quivered. _Stupid deer! This is all your fault!_

If the thing hadn't threatened to lock the portal whether she had said goodbye or not, then she would have never surrendered to telling him. She wouldn't have had to say anything to hurt him, and she'd not have to leave.

"I'll take care of you, Kitty," came the trembling voice, knocking Katy out of her rage at the phantom. "I'll take care of you."

She stayed quiet, silencing her thought as well. Screaming at the deer-ghost wasn't going to help right now. Hours passed; how many was unknown, maybe a couple, maybe three. Finally the little brunette could stand into longer. Confined places did not frighten her, but the way her friend was acting did.

"I'm hungry! Open the door! 'Ello?"

A minute later, crackers were slid under the door. She swallowed then pouted. Well, he did say he was going to take care of her but, really? She wasn't a pet hamster!

Although she **was** hungry... Reluctantly she ate them. They weren't so bad.

Ten minutes later and it was time for "Plan B".

"Gaa-ra!" she shouted. "I have to pee!"

When that didn't work, it was tantrum time. "I want out! Let me out!" she screeched, banging on all four walls. Moments later, she heard an adult talking. She leaned on the door, trying to make out what they were saying.

The door opened without warning and she tumbled out. Erratically she stood.

"What in the world is going on here?" Yashamaru demanded, standing between the young ones. "Gaara?"

The crimson haired child looked away, feigning innocence with his expression. The medic threw a confused glance at Katy. The brunette stayed stock-still, her hands clasped in front of her mouth. Should she be angry or afraid? She couldn't answer that.

Yashamaru sighed. "It's late. I think it's time for you to be getting home now, miss Katherine."

"No!" Gaara shot forward, only to be blocked by his uncle.

"Gaara, calm down." Yashamaru held him back. "Calm down."

Her mind still reeling on the whole situation, Katy slowly advanced to the exit.

"No! Kitty, please!" That made her stop, made her remember who she was leaving behind. "**Please!**"

Katy was taught to love, Katy was taught to forgive. He was her friend, no matter how weird he got and no matter what he did. Though she was disturbed by what just happened, she could not leave him like this. Hurriedly, she made her way to him, clasping the hands that reached out for her.

Unsteadily, she spoke. "I- I'll be back tomorrow. Don't be s-sad. We still have an-another day. And then I... I come back. Like always. It'll just be for a little bit long- longer, okay?"

"You'll...be back tomorrow?" He relaxed slightly, allowing his uncle to step away. Yashamaru watched the exchange between the two in somber silence.

"Yah. Tomorrow. And...and I'll bring you a present!"

She had to make him feel better. Offering a gift was the best way she could think to do that. With a crushing hug, and with the medic softly prompting, he unwillingly let her go.

'Tomorrow!" he reminded her.

"Yah, I know!"

* * *

><p>She ran all the way home, tears sporadically falling. Snowflakes drifted down gently as she made her way through the woods.<p>

"_The last day...is tomorrow,"_ it warned, appearing. "_I will lock the portal, regardless of how you leave, goodbyes said or not. I have been lenient enough._"

Katherine hissed at the creature. It took her wrath unfazed, vanishing inside her body. It forgave the child for any hostility, for she did not understand. She could be killed any time; in fact she could have been killed tonight. But for some reason, the one called Yashamaru did not seize the opportunity. However, the doe wasn't going to take any more chances. It had to draw the line.

When the morning came, Katy would have to hurry back to him. It would be the last chance to show him how much he meant to her. With that in thought, Katy marched forward, sorrow eating at her heart.

_Dry all your tears, come what may._

_And in the end the sun will rise on one more day..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** You probably already noticed before, but I will go ahead and say that I do get inspired by a lot of songs. The songs that helped inspire this chapter both have the same name as the title.

Furthermore, I had to put a reference of Black Beauty in there. Not only is it a sweet movie but it also has parallels to Katy and Gaara's situation. Katy is his precious friend and she almost died (and might die in the future) and Gaara even saw this similarity in where Ginger, Black's precious friend, died. That is why he freaked out when Katy said she was going away...like Ginger.

So I hope that answers any confusions.

Reviews are appreciated. The more reviews I get, the more I write.

Thanks for reading! :)


	18. My Friend

+++Part 18+++

My Friend

She gave him the present. It was an old music box that played the melody of his favorite song.

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._

He could place the words to the tune; he knew it so well. Carefully he closed the wooden lid. Though aged, the cedar wood still shined. Katy made sure it would, she polished it herself.

"It was my grandma's. I thought you'd like it." She smiled tentatively.

"...Thank you."

There was a silence between them, not like the comfortable quietness the pair usually enjoyed. This was awkward, unnerving. The draping limbs of the willow swayed in a breeze and Kat studied them, distracting herself from his blatant stare. Then she wrinkled her nose in annoyance. This was their last day together for a while and she did not want to spend it like this!

"Le's play! Kee-mon," she said in her own quirky way, taking his hand.

They climbed the willow, played chase around it, went to the swings, and everything was okay then. It was just them and the time limit was forgotten. Except...

Katy felt an air of distance from Gaara. It was like he was holding something back. When they returned under the shade of the tree for a rest, she asked him about it. He looked down, silence overtaking them once more.

"Geliebt...?" she asked again, unsure and worried.

When he finally spoke, his head stayed down. "Kitty, do you think I'm... Do you think I'm a freak?"

The question hit her like a bag of bricks. Her mouth opened and closed but she could not manage a peep. Why would he even think that? Surely he knew how much he meant to her, how much she loved him. She even told him so, though by using the song, and called him Geliebt! That in itself meant beloved! He was her most precious friend!

The boy began to tremble slightly, looking up with sad pleading eyes. That look always melted her. With a jolt of realization that she had not yet answered the question, she found her voice.

"You, I... No! No, I don't! Don't even say that, Geliebt! You rememba what that means don'tcha? Beloved! Most precious friend! So, there! Why'd you think that anyway, huh?"

His trembling stopped, but that sadness persisted. "Because you're leaving..."

"Not for long! It'll be okay, okay?"

The phantom never told her how long "not long" was. But with the willfulness of a child, she believed it to be a short time.

"Anyway, c'mon. I want to play some more."

_I want to spend as much time as I can with you...before it's too late_, was what she had actually wanted to say but did not know how to say it.

* * *

><p>He never wanted that evening to end, he wanted it to last forever. The image of her, chocolate hair lit with a golden hue, running to him would stay imprinted in his mind eternally.<p>

_Make this go on forever._

But the sun sank, vanished, and took the evening along with it. They stood outside the walls facing each other. A few stray dark clouds littered the sky, refusing to reflect the dim light the sun emitted from under the horizon. This made everything look shadowy and gloomy, and only served to worsen Kat's mood.

Sorrow lined his expression and she bit her cheek. It hurt her to see him so sad. Another pregnant pause encased them. He didn't want her to say it and she didn't want to say it either. But as she glanced to the east she caught sight of the pale, nearly full, moon. It wasn't quite dark enough for it to glow to its full capability but it was visible nonetheless.

And it reminded her of the ghost's eyes and what she had to do. Katy bit down her urge to shriek and cry, as it would do no good.

_It's only for a little while_, she told herself.

"Well," she finally said, ending the pause and making Gaara flinch. He knew what was coming and he didn't want it to come. "This is goodbye... for now. But I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?"

She waited and waited for a response. There was none. He only looked at her, sullen.

"Okay," she sighed out.

Did he know how hard it was for her to turn and walk away? Everything in her screamed to turn around and run back to him! Slowly, obediently, she trudged over sand and to the portal. It would be sealed the moment she crossed to the other side.

He watched her retreating form. The dull pain in his chest was growing. The farther away she went, the stronger the pain became until it was sharp and severe and too much for him to bear.

"Wait," came his anguished cry. "Don't go!"

The scarlet haired child reached out and almost instantly sand snared her by the ankles. She gasped in surprise, teetering in a vain attempt to regain her balance. She fell to her hands and knees. The sand tightened and she flinched. Footsteps fast approaching, he skidded to a halt down beside her. His arms circled her torso with a desperate force.

"Please don't go, Kitty. I love you," he mumbled, and then louder, "You have to stay!"

Her heart clenched. It was the first time she'd ever heard those three words from his mouth. If only it were under pleasanter circumstances. "I..."

"Don't leave me," his voice cracked. "I'll do anything you say just tell me!"

She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, maybe because he was holding onto her so tightly. The phantom's flat, fluid tone urged her on.

"I... I have to." Now her own voice was beginning to break.

"Why?"

When she met his gaze she froze. It was something she had never clearly witnessed before. She had heard it yesterday and now she was seeing it. His tears, he was crying.

"Tell me why." Those eyes... they were filled with sorrow, confusion, pain, agony. The tears seemed to run in ceaseless currents. 'Tell me **why**!"

She shook, starting to cry too, eyes stinging with the threat. "I have to," she whimpered. "It's making me."

"What's making you? I'll get rid if it!"

"The blue d-deer. I don't kn-know." She didn't have a name for the creature, except for "Bambi's mom" and she was positive that wasn't who it was. It was too cold.

Inhaling deep, she steadied her voice. Though a quivering edge still held to it.

"It won't be for long," she repeated what it told her. "It's not forever, Geliebt, this...this **isn't** goodbye."

The words not only calmed and reassured Kat, they calmed and reassured Gaara too and he was able to relax his hold on her. He stared at her intensely, hopefully.

"Promise me...?"

"I promise. The rocks may melt and the seas may burn if I should not return," she said, quoting another favorite movie of hers. "I'll be back before you know it! Don't forget. Don't forget anything. We're friends forever, always. You'll remember, right? You promise too!"

"I promise, Kitty." He eased up. She always had a way of consoling him.

The little brunette smiled, brightening her tear-streaked face. Some tears had escaped after all. She hugged him then, closer than she ever had before. He returned it with a bone-crushing grip.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that. But when she finally pulled away his touch lingered, falling down her arms and taking hold of her hands. He brought them up and studied them before taking the left in both his hands, fingers gently tracing the scar he had marred on her so long ago.

With a white diagonal slash from her wrist to her knuckles and a white burst mark on her ring finger, it truly did resemble a shooting star.

He did not let go but, as she began moving away, reluctantly loosened his grip. As her hand slipped from his he had to keep repeating to himself over and over: it won't be long. She will be back. She will.

It was the only thing keeping him together.

Katy looked back one last time and smiled for her friend. He mirrored the gesture. As she moved through the portal, streaks of light passing her through, an image stayed in her mind's eye.

It was the image of a boy with hair like crimson and pale eyes the color of sea-foam. Like a portrait, it hung in her psyche. Those sad yet hopeful eyes staring back at her and his shaky smile, defying the tearstains on his face...

Defying the tears still falling...

* * *

><p>It had been just a few days. Katy had returned to the portal more times than she could count and every time was the same. No matter how hard she pushed, how hard she hit, or how hard she rammed her little body into it, the portal would not open. Slumping to her knees, frustration spilling over her eyes, she screamed out to the phantom.<p>

"You lied! You said it wouldn't be long! Open it!"

The silent stillness of the room was all that answered her. She did not hear nor feel the ghost's presence. So she went berserk. The old house filled with her shrill cries as she flayed and beat on the symbol-carved wall. She bashed her head on it repeatedly, not caring how it made her vision spin. Her sight was already blinded by the salinity that rolled down her cheeks.

She had screeched her throat raw. Exhausted and hurt, she fell to the floor and quietly sobbed the day away.

* * *

><p>The moon was full; the night was cold. He never wanted to be so cold. Gaara had tried to go to her multiple times. But when he went to trace lines on the threshold, the veins of light did not appear, like it had always done so before. It would not take him through; it would not work. Now he sat atop the Kaze mansion, holding the music box she gave him. Pushing the lid up, the melody of that song flowed to him in tender waves. It helped make the hurt go away. And he was especially hurting tonight.<p>

_I was right,_ he thought dejectedly, _no one wants me._

The day had not been a pleasant one. Overcome by loneliness, the boy tried to make friends. He watched them from the swing. One of the children kicked the ball too hard and it got stuck up on a high wall. He had kindly retrieved the ball for them using the sand. But as he tentatively offered it back, they all froze.

"It's him," one of them said. "It's Gaara."

"He's really creepy."

And then, "Run!"

The scarlet haired boy looked on in dismay. "No, wait! Don't run away!"

And as his hand reached out, so did the sand. It grabbed at least three of the kids and began dragging them back. There was one in particular that Gaara focused on. A brunette with dark eyes. A girl.

_Kitty..._

The sand constricted on her calf muscle and she pleaded for him to stop. He bit his lip, paying no heed to her cries.

_I don't want to be alone right now..._

She screamed as more sand came barreling at her.

_Never again..._

A man jumped in the fray, taking the blow and shielding the girl. "No, Gaara! You can't do this!"

Gaara's mouth dropped as he whispered his uncle's name. He was met with the medic's sad, confused stare.

Later into that evening, the lonely boy gazed at the picture of his mother. He'd attempted to harm himself, but he knife was blocked. The sand constantly got in the way. He then was startled by Yashamaru's voice. The blonde man was gentle in his chiding.

Pale sea-foam orbs saddened at the sight of bandages on his uncle's arms and forehead. He apologized and asked if it hurt but Yashamaru quickly brushed it off as nothing.

"What...what does pain feel like? I've...never been injured, so I don't know. I was wondering what it felt like."

The man did his best to explain it, though he admitted to not doing so very well. However Gaara smiled and thanked him, saying, "I think I know what pain is now."

Then he moved his hand over his heart. "I know I'm not bleeding...but I've been feeling a lot of pain here lately...since Kitty went away."

That was the moment when Yashamaru took the blade from young Gaara and used it to cut the tip of his finger. The boy gasped as if it had been his own finger. The medic told the difference between physical injuries and, more dangerously, injuries dealt to the heart.

"Also," he continued. "When someone you hold dear to you is gone...you don't feel right. There's a part of your heart that's missing. And sometimes that pain never goes away until you're with that person again."

"She'll come back...she promised."

Yashamaru smiled, finishing his explanations by saying that love was the only medicine that could heal a wounded heart.

"Yashamaru, thank you." He smiled. "You know, for stopping me before."

"You're very welcome," he responded, placing his cut in his mouth. "After all, you're special Gaara. I hold you very dear to me."

Smile brightening, he stepped forward and did something he'd only do for Katy. He took the injured hand, kissing the wound before holding it in his mouth.

_It tastes like iron..._

Now here he was, sitting on the railing of the level roof. He heaved a deep sigh. He had tried to apologize to that girl he hurt. But when he held up the bag of ointment she slammed the door in his face, yelling, "freak!" from the other side. He walked home in low spirits.

_Don't listen to them, Geliebt! They say those mean things because they don't know you like I know you,_ Katy's words echoed in his mind._ They don't know you at all!_

Her words helped ease the ache in his chest. But in his sorrow, his confusion, he killed a drunkard whom bumped into him. He gave Gaara the same look the girl did. They all gave him that look- Even his father. The glare the Kazekage threw his way crushed him inside. It dashed all his hopes of ever being accepted by the man.

_Why do I have to be such a freak?_ Black eyelids closed as he covered his face with his hands. Even the music box in his lap could not help right now. _What am I?_

The next thing he knew, his world was tumbling down. The kunai knives, the sand, the mask... the bandaged finger. And everything within him fell apart after that mask came off, after he saw who'd just tried to kill him.

The child's agonized scream filled the night. The dying man spoke revelations and lies to the young child before finishing himself off, uttering the words, "Please die."

The scarlet haired boy cracked... and then shattered.

* * *

><p>Katy woke in a cold sweat, completely unaware of the reason why. Completely unaware that...<p>

The wind moaned eerily by her window. She sat up, shaking in the chilly room. She stayed like that for a while, just staring off into nothing. But then she moved to the window, her knees pressing into the mattress. The full moon shed its gentle light on the snow-covered ground, making the bare, shadowing trees seem less intimidating. The little brunette sighed, folding her hands in front of her on the windowsill. For a moment she remained quiet.

_Down on my knees again tonight..._

"Hello, it's me again," she spoke softly. "I know You're prob'ly really busy with the universe and everything but..."

_I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right..._

"You see, there's a boy that needs Your help." The wind blew gentler now and Katy picked up her small voice in distressed earnest. "I don't know what to do."

The young girl stumbled, voice breaking, and she fought to regain control.

"I tried to b- be there for him." The moisture welled up in her eyes. "But, God, who he needs right now is You..."

The water poured down her face as she tried to calm her trembling. Her breathing was shaky and she almost lost her voice. But no matter what, she had to do this. For her friend.

"He's so tired and he's scared so, please, let him know...that You're there."

She moved her gaze to the stars. She remembered when they stood on top of the tallest sand dune, reaching for the brightest one and how they fell on their backs and laughed together.

"Please let him be safe. I don't- I don't know what I'd do if..." She couldn't finish the sentence. "Please don't leave him. If You will, can you make him feel better? You see, he's been through a lot and a lot of people hurt him and... and I really hope You get this prayer, God, 'cause he's not just an- anyone..."

_Can You hear me?  
>Am I getting through tonight?<br>Can You see him?  
>Can You make him feel all right?<br>If You can hear me, let me take his place somehow.  
>See, he's not just anyone...<em>

**"He's my friend."**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **That concludes Of The Sand and The Sea. The end!

But not really. There is a continuation of this, a sequel. It will be titled Remembrance.

So how did I do on this story? Good? Okay? Excellent? Review, please!

And I feel I must say another song inspired the ending scene to this chapter. It is one of Mark Schultz's songs. Although I did take it out of context, because he was singing about his son, but I thought some parts could really be used for a friendship theme.

So if you're interested, keep an eye out for Remembrance. It will be coming soon.

Thank you for reading!


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